Gold Coast Secures Global Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Congress for 2032

The Gold Coast will host the 18th International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ICSES) in September 2032, bringing more than 1,400 surgeons, researchers and medical professionals to Queensland in the same year that Australia hosts the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The four-day congress will take place at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to generate AUD 6.5 million for the city. Delegates are anticipated from North and South America, Europe and Asia, with the event marking the congress’s return to Australia for the first time since it was held in Sydney in 1998.

Andrea Molnar, Director of Business Events at Experience Gold Coast, highlighted the strategic significance of the congress, pointing to the opportunity to connect the international attention surrounding Brisbane 2032 with the region’s expertise in health, research and innovation.

“What makes this congress particularly exciting is its timing,” Ms Molnar said. “As a host region for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Gold Coast will be at the centre of global conversations around sport, performance, health, innovation and legacy.

“Hosting ICSES in 2032 gives us an opportunity to build on the investment, expertise and international connections generated by the Games and create benefits that extend well beyond the event itself.”

A Bid Nearly a Decade in the Making

The successful bid followed a campaign launched in 2018, led by Experience Gold Coast in partnership with Dr Ezekiel Tan (on the right), an orthopaedic hand and upper limb surgeon at Gold Coast University Hospital and a BE Connected ambassador. The Gold Coast competed against destinations in Germany, India and Colombia, with the bid supported by Tourism and Events Queensland and Tourism Australia.

For Dr Tan, the selection represents an important milestone for both the destination and the international orthopaedic community, as well as recognition of Australia's surgical research and clinical expertise.

"It is a privilege to be selected to host the 18th International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery in 2032, Queensland’s Olympic and Paralympic year,” Dr Tan said. “This international congress only occurs every three years and was last hosted in Australia in 1998, in Sydney.

“The ability to attract an event of this calibre to the Gold Coast is a testament to the city, as well as the quality and strength of Australian surgical research and expertise."

The congress’s international reach will bring together specialists from across the medical field, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and professional collaboration while showcasing Australia’s capabilities to a global audience.

Connecting Medical Expertise with the Brisbane 2032 Legacy

The congress also strengthens Queensland’s pipeline of international business events in the lead-up to the Games. Beyond its direct economic contribution, it offers an opportunity to encourage international visitors to explore the wider state and extend their stays.

Andrew Powell, Queensland’s Minister for Tourism, emphasised the value of attracting specialist events that combine professional exchange with broader tourism opportunities.

“Securing this prestigious congress will bring leading medical minds from around the world to the Gold Coast, generating valuable visitor expenditure while showcasing Queensland’s expertise and capability on the global stage,” Minister Powell said.

"Queensland is the ‘Home of the Holiday’, and events like this encourage delegates to stay longer, explore more of our state and experience the destinations that make Queensland one of the world's great tourism destinations."

Tourism Australia also supported the bid through its Business Events Bid Fund Programme, which has been helping to secure future international events for Australia since its launch in 2018. Sally Cope, the organisation’s Executive General Manager for Industry and Business Events, highlighted the opportunity to showcase the country’s capabilities during a year of exceptional international visibility.

“Tourism Australia is pleased to be supporting the 2032 International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery through its Business Events Bid Fund Program, which has been building a strong pipeline of future international business events across Australia since its launch in 2018.

“The timing of this world-leading medical congress, in the same year that Australia will be hosting the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will help to further demonstrate the exceptional capabilities we have to offer as a business events destination,” Sally Cope said.

With ICSES joining its pipeline of major international events, the Gold Coast is positioning itself to capitalise on the momentum surrounding Brisbane 2032 while highlighting a different dimension of its international appeal: the strength of its medical community and its capacity to host globally significant specialist congresses.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.