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Gold Coast Shortlisted for 'World Cup' of Business Events
| 25 November 2009
The Gold Coast has beaten tough competition from the likes of Seoul and Qatar to be announced as one of three shortlisted destinations to host the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress in 2013.
The announcement was made in Florence recently by ICCA CEO Martin Sirk who described the three finalists, Gold Coast, Houston and Shanghai, as presenting very strong and professional bids.
Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter, who was announced as Chairman of ICCA Asia Pacific in June this year, was on hand to lobby for the Gold Coast vote and receive the shortlist approval.
“Being shortlisted by ICCA to host the 2013 Congress is the business events equivalent of making the World Cup finals or being nominated for an Academy Award, that is the stage which the Gold Coast is now on,” he said.
“This bid, made in partnership with the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, is an integral part of Gold Coast Tourism's strategy to build a more sustainable and diverse tourism industry for the city of Gold Coast.”
If successful, the 2013 ICCA Congress will bring around 1,000 delegates from over 70 countries to experience the Gold Coast, these delegates influence where the world’s conferences, conventions, corporate meetings and incentives are held.
As a shortlisted destination, the Gold Coast will now host the ICCA Inspection Committee who will assess the city in terms of access, transportation, accommodation, infrastructure, meeting facilities, support services as well as meeting with Government and commerce leaders.
“Gold Coast Tourism will pull out all stops to impress the selection committee and give us the best chance of winning the event from Shanghai, whose bid is fully backed by the Chinese Central Committee and Houston which has pitched its bid as pan- American,” Mr Winter said.
The Gold Coast was the sole Australian bid for the 2013 ICCA Congress and was fully supported by Tourism Australia and State Government plus all Australian Convention Bureaux.
Aside from securing the 2013 ICCA Congress, the nomination increases the Gold Coast’s official international ICCA ranking which has been demonstrated to generate more business event opportunities for the city.
The ICCA Congress has not been held in Australia for more than 15 years.
ENDS.
For further comment please contact:
John Kaarsberg
Gold Coast Tourism, Manager Media
0411 511 029 or john.kaarsberg@gctourism.com