Juliet Alabaster, General Manager of Tourism, Business and Major Events at Brisbane EDA said providing support to attract more business events back to the city was key for the economic recovery of the events industry.

“As part of our wider ‘Brisbane. Even Better with You’ campaign, we are offering event planners and businesses a cash incentive to make it easier for them to choose Brisbane for their next face-to-face conference or incentive event,” Ms Alabaster said.

“This funding can be used to either deliver an enhanced delegate experience through an upgraded event program, or contribute to reducing the overall cost of their event as some welcome budget relief. 

Ms Alabaster encouraged event planners to reach out, get free advice, and find out more about the exceptional experience Brisbane can give delegates.

“Brisbane is a fantastic city, with our warm weather, vibrant open-air restaurants, world-class venues and cultural attractions and outstanding hotels to choose from,” Ms Alabaster said.

“We know our local industry has experienced incredibly challenging conditions the past year and we want to provide a helping hand to encourage more Brisbane business events bookings  - to boost our local economy and support our local businesses, accommodation providers and our service industry.

“We want to instil confidence in event planners that Brisbane is ready to host their next event, and they can expect our signature warm welcome when they do.”

The package includes funding of $50 per person for eligible business events held between March 2021 and December 2022 and must be booked at a Brisbane venue by 30 June 2021.