An Eventful City
1. Melbourne is the event capital of Australia. Victoria attracts approximately 230,000 international event visitors. This represents 38% market share of all international event visitors to Australia. Victoria has 16 ‘hallmark’ events, 14 annual and 2 biennial events. This is more than any other state in Australia. (Source: Tourism Victoria)
2. Melbourne improved its position as Australia’s business events destination from 26th in the world in 2003 to 11th in the world in 2004, according to the International Congress and Convention Association. (Source: www.MCVB.com.au)
3. Melbourne has Australia’s highest concentration of convention facilities located in the city centre, including Australia’s largest exhibition centre and five major convention hotels. (Source: www.mcvb.com.au)
4. The new $367M 5000-seat Convention Centre, to be competed in 2008, is already attracting bookings. (Source: Tourism Victoria)
5. Melbourne is Australia’s festival capital. The city's flagship Melbourne International Festival of the Arts occurs in October, a few weeks after the alternative Melbourne Fringe, and just before the Spring Racing Carnival. The huge Melbourne Comedy Festival draws massive crowds in mid-autumn each year, while film buffs flock to the Film Festival in late July. Community festivals are always very popular: Melbourne's Greeks celebrate the Antipodes Festival along Lonsdale Street (March), Italians get down at the annual Lygon Street Fiesta (October), and the Spanish Festival along Johnston Street, Fitzroy, happens in November. Not to mention the Fashion Festival, the Writers' Festival, the Next Wave new arts festival, the Midsumma gay and lesbian festival, and so many more. (Source: www.melbourne.citysearch.com.au)  |
