Business Events Council of Australia announces review to lead the industry into the future

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Australia’s peak industry body uniting various business events industry segments, the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), is undertaking a review to create a larger peak body for the business events industry. The review will explore whther their is opportunity to create a larger, more impactful, and sustainable organisation that can better represent the interests of the business events industry.

Business events are highly valuable to the Australian economy, providing $36 billion in economic contribution in FY19, and supporting the visitor and knowledge economies. Business events showcase Australia’s strengths on a global stage and support valuable trade and investment opportunities.

In recent years the Australian business events industry has faced many challenges. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that BECA’s advocacy work is more important than ever, heightening the need for the industry to continue to work together to grow.

In response to the challenges of the pandemic and to ensure the future sustainability of BECA so that it can continue its remit to advocate for business events and deliver on industry priorities, a review of BECA’s structure has been undertaken. The aim of this review was to create a better resourced organisation to deliver the research, advocacy, and training essential to the growth of the industry.

The proposed new organisation will be able to deliver more value for all members of the business events industry and champion inclusivity for the various segments of business events – including large and small operators across the sector’s supply chain.

To support the review, the BECA board has appointed independent expert consultants, ODIN360, to advise on the best operating model for the future based on their assessment of BECA’s current structure and operations.

ODIN360 has completed the first phase of this project and submitted its interim report and recommendations to the BECA Board. This phase involved extensive consultation with key business events industry bodies such as AACB, ACCG, EEAA, MEA and PCOA as well as a broader range of stakeholders across the business events industry including large, medium, and small operators in each State and Territory.

BECA Independent Chair Dr Leo Jago said feedback from the business events industry signals the need for a fully resourced peak industry association.

“The global pandemic challenged Australia’s business events industry and now is the right time to look at what the sector needs as a whole to strive for growth across the next decade and beyond, with a focus on research, advocacy and professional development.”

In parallel with its work to represent the industry to the new government in Canberra, BECA has appointed a Project Development Group to work with ODIN360 to further develop the model for a better resourced organisation to represent the business events industry.

To help ensure that member benefits being developed for the proposed organisation are in line with business event industry needs, they have asked that operators large and small complete the 5-minute survey that can be found here.

The final report will be presented to the BECA Board by the end of the year.