Australasia
Wellington signs multi-year agreement with Tech New Zealand for trio of tech conferences
WellingtonNZ has entered into a new partnership with Tech New Zealand that will see three of the organisation’s flagship tech conferences held in New Zealand’s capital over the next three editions. The agreement, designed to bolster Wellington’s position as a hub of innovation and international competitiveness, will bring the following events to the city: FinTechNZ Hui (FinTechNZ): 2026–2028 Digit...
Amway Korea Leadership Seminar brings $13m boost to Cairns
A seamless 22-day Amway Korea Leadership Seminar has concluded in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef this week, featuring five waves of charter flights, impressive three-hour turnarounds of hotel rooms, and intimate Australian cultural and wildlife experiences. The seminar saw Cairns city welcome 2,800 Amway Korea delegates arriving in five waves on 20 charter flights from 17 November to 7 December, ...
Strategic differentiation: A tale of two cities Down Under
Iain Stirling takes on a sporting tour to Australia and finds two city teams at the top of their meeting game, albeit with two very different offers that encourage planners to think carefully about how to use and choose their ideal destination. When Tourism Australia extended an invitation to experience the Wallabies versus British & Irish Lions rugby union test match, with the added opportuni...
AIME 2026: Elevating expertise and expanding connections
As Asia Pacific’s leading business events trade show, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) continues to evolve in ways that reflect the industry it represents – one defined by innovation, depth of expertise, and a growing global reach. AIME 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), to be held 9–11 February, will be the biggest show yet delivered by event direc...
Sydney to host Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase in 2027
Sydney will host Australia Next 2027, the incentive showcase for international business events planners from around the world. The event, run by Tourism Australia, will come to Sydney in December 2027. It will be run in partnership with BESydney and will showcase the Australian business events industry to international planners from key markets to build a strong pipeline of future events. Visiting...
State premier announces extra A$10m to fuel business events in Adelaide
The Malinauskas Labor Government in South Australia will invest a further A$10m in Business Events Adelaide to help lure even more events and conferences to the city, with the aim of supporting jobs, filling hotels and boosting the state’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Business events have been demonstrated to deliver a strong and immediate return to the state’s economy, with interstate and ove...
PCMA announces 2026 Class of 20 in their Twenties
US-based meetings industry association PCMA has selected 20 emerging leaders from the next generation of global business events professionals for its annual ‘20 in their Twenties’ programme. Now in its 12th year, the programme honours young professionals who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and a clear commitment to advancing the global business events community. The Class of 2026 represents or...
The NZICC announces official opening date in February
The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) will officially open its doors on 11 February 2026, marking a major milestone for Auckland and New Zealand. Jason Walbridge, SkyCity CEO, said: “With more than 100 events confirmed for 2026, the NZICC is a powerful investment into New Zealand’s future, creating opportunities for local businesses, generating jobs for our wider community and el...
Corporate Traveller’s three key SME travel trends to get ahead in 2026
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are rethinking how they approach corporate travel in 2026, putting employee performance and competitive edge ahead of traditional penny-pinching, according to Corporate Traveller data indicators. Three key trends are driving this shift, they say: Premium economy bookings up 35% as companies realise rest drives performance 75% of SME employees now blend business ...
Inaugural FACTS Summit & Expo signals new era for corporate travel and business events
The inaugural FACTS Summit & Expo, which opened 25 November at ICC Sydney, attracted 1,500 delegates, 160 speakers, and 100 exhibitors from across the global corporate travel, business events, travel payments and aviation ecosystem. FACTS launched at a pivotal time for an industry navigating rapid technological change, shifting traveller expectations and increasing sustainability pressures. FA...
BEIA launches New Zealand Certificate in Business Events: Te Haeata
New Zealand’s Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Conference 2025 opened 26 November with the launch of ‘Te Haeata’ – the New Zealand Certificate in Business Events – a new vocational learning programme. New Zealand’s first online business events industry training programme was announced by Hon Louise Upston, minister for tourism and hospitality at the BEIA Conference 2025 at Cord...
BCD 2026 Travel Market Report predicts weak economic growth with hotel rates rising up to 5%
BCD Travel has released its Travel Market Report dedicated to a 2026 Outlook on key risks and solutions, updates on the state of air travel pricing, hotel room rates and car rentals, and a summary of important sustainability trends. Key highlights from the report for corporate travel programmes to consider include: Risks and mitigation strategies In 2026, Oxford Economics believes the world may fa...