Melbourne and regional Victoria top pick for Asian incentive groups

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Looking to provide an unparalleled, top-tier program to reward, motivate and retain staff, Asian incentive meeting planners and corporations are choosing Melbourne, with Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) securing 17 Asian incentive groups across China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and India since the start of the new fiscal year.

These wins will bring 2,345 delegates to Victoria, filling 4,033 room nights across the city’s hotels and injecting $9.6M into the economy. 

MCB Chief Executive Julia Swanson, said the bureau has always had a strong presence across the Asia Pacific region, with team members in China, Malaysia and India working with planners to create unique programs.

“It’s really pleasing to see Chinese incentive groups returning to Melbourne and we expect this to really ramp up now that Australia will once again join China’s list of Approved Destination Status (ADS) nations. Aviation capacity has already expanded with seven out of eight mainland China carriers operating to Melbourne resumed.

“MCB’s efforts to grow this market back to its full potential has been rewarded with 19 per cent of wins in this segment to date hailing from China,” Ms. Swanson said.

Across the 17 incentive groups arriving, delegates will visit an array of attractions in Melbourne and regional Victoria. The exciting line-up includes some of Victoria’s most popular regions, the Yarra Valley, Goldfields, Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island Nature Park for the iconic Penguin Parade as well as a trip to enjoy the splendour of the Great Ocean Road. 

Also adding to the city’s appeal, incentive groups to Melbourne now have the biggest choice of hotel rooms than anywhere else in Australia.  Melbourne boasts the country’s largest hotel offering following an unprecedented building boom. With 21 new hotels and 4,889 rooms opening in less than four years, including Ritz-Carlton, Oakwood Premier, W Melbourne and Hotel Chadstone, Melbourne has increased its accommodation market by 23 per cent to almost 26,500 rooms.

Renowned for going that extra mile, MCB have in-market representatives, strong local relationships with industry suppliers, and are focused on personal connections with clients to develop relevant and exciting MICE programs.

 “As a full-service bureau, MCB goes above and beyond to ensure groups have a seamless and memorable experience. Our team excels in crafting bespoke itineraries designed to suit every group    and we look forward to working with the tourism industry to deliver exceptional experiences,” Ms. Swanson added.

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