Conference tourism remains all talk

AUSTRALIA'S best hope for revitalising the tourism industry and making the most of millions of dollars being spent on marketing overseas is being ignored because the federal government will not back the burgeoning conference industry.

Leading conference industry executives say conferences have become one of the most powerful marketing weapons in the tourism industry's armoury, but they are being ignored in favour of flash-in-the-pan marketing exercises such as backing Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia.

Tim Riches, managing director of Futurebrand in Melbourne, said that in recent years conferences had become a powerful marketing tool, with conference visitors to Australia spending on average five times more than traditional tourists during their stay.

To read the full article click here http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25667791-5018016,00.html published in the Australian on 22 June