Business Events Tasmania
Marnie Craig
Ending 2024 on a high note
The program was a major success, resulting in great feedback across all three of the famils. Attendees said they were “fortunate to be a part of such a memorable experience,” and that they were “blown away by the beauty, history, and quality of venues available.” Attendees that hadn’t visited for some time were also impressed with the state’s new developments and had their perspective on its capacity to host events changed. Lisa Harrison, Director of Urban Event Management, gave a great account of the famil she attended in the northern, eastern, and southern regions. Describing it as “an incredible culinary and experiential journey,” with “unique and memorable experiences.” She also stated that as a result of her visit she was, “looking forward to bringing [her] clients to Tassie and having them enjoy all that is on offer in this beautiful part of the world.” In the immediate wake of the program the team are working to convert enthusiasm into new business, with 30 leads already arising that would bring 11,000 delegates in events over the next four years. The program so far has proved that once we get these key decision makers to Tasmania, we’re able to leave a lasting impression on them that can have a ripple effect within the industry. We’re looking forward to seeing more results from our recent famils coming in and being able to host additional programs in 2025.
As we close on 2024, I’m happy to report that BET have continued to grow Tasmania’s share of the business event market. As a result of our campaign work, we saw a 44 per cent increase in total events hosted, showcasing the growing interest in our unique venues and experiences. Whilst the delegation at these events were smaller than previous years, the recent addition of $3.8M in funding for the Business Event Attraction Fund will enable us to maximise on this potential by securing larger conferences in 2025 and beyond. With the same effort and renewed resources, we believe that 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for growth in the industry. We have already secured 64 per cent more in delegates for the year ahead than we had at the same time in 2023. Continuing to bring in conferences that have an immediate impact on the hospitality sector is key for us here at BET, and a key part of our efforts in the final months of 2024 was our familiarisation program.
Over the past two months we hosted three famils across Hobart and the south, Launceston and the north, and the East Coast regions. These famils brought over 60 conference organisers, event planners, and key decision makers to Tasmania from the association, corporate meeting and incentive markets who have either never been to Tasmania before in a business event capacity or hadn’t been for many years.
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Tasmanian Hospitality Review Oct/Nov Edition
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