Associations eye Brisbane for conferences

Brisbane is proving to be a popular business events destination for Australian associations after two peak industry bodies announced they would stage their 2016 national conferences in the city.

Both the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) and the Cooperative Research Centre Association (CRC Association) will attract up to 1000 delegates when they stage their annual conferences in Brisbane next year.

The PIA is the national body representing planning and the planning profession while the CRC Association is the peak body representing Australia’s Cooperative Research Centres, which are leaders in many fields of scientific endeavour.

Speaking from Convene Q in Queensland, Brisbane Marketing’s General Manager Conventions and Business Events, Rob Nelson, said a coordinated, professional and responsive bid by the Brisbane Convention Bureau had brought the PIA National Congress back to Brisbane for the first time since 1998.

“We engaged our partners and stakeholders right across the city as part of a Team Brisbane collaboration to ensure the PIA National Congress hosts and delegates would have the most productive and rewarding experience possible here,” he said.

PIA Chief Executive Officer Kirsty Kelly said PIA was really excited to be heading back to Brisbane.

“A big part of our conference will be getting delegates out and about in the Brisbane and surrounding areas to see first-hand the positive impact urban and regional planners are having,” she said.

The PIA announcement follows news that the CRC Association had moved its annual conference to Brisbane next year to coincide with the World Science Festival - one of the world’s premier science and arts events.

Mr Nelson said the World Science Festival Brisbane, to be presented by the Queensland Museum, offered a prime opportunity for corporates and associations to align their science-orientated events with the festival.

“This event will be staged outside New York for the first time, reinforcing Brisbane’s reputation as a scientific research and innovation hub,” Mr Nelson said.

“The festival is a perfect for business event planners wanting to align their science-orientated events with one of most prestigious festivals of its kind in the world.”

Professor Suzanne Miller, CEO and Director, Queensland Museum Network said she was thrilled the CRC Association has chosen to move its annual conference to coincide with the festival. 

“We are working with Brisbane Marketing to attract science-related business events to Brisbane during the festival to build a critical mass of scientists, science communicators and industry experts, all of whom want to share the wonder and awe of science and science discovery,” she said.

The PIA National Congress will be staged 11 – 13 May 2016 while the CRC Association Annual Conference will be held to 8 – 10 March 2016, with the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre hosting both events.

The World Science Festival Brisbane will be staged 9 – 13 March 2016.

For more information on conferences in Brisbane, go to http://www.choosebrisbane.com.au/conventions