MELBOURNE CONVENTION BUREAU

Corporate Information

MELBOURNE CONVENTION BUREAU:
A TRUE PARTNER


As a part of Visit Victoria, MCB partners with the Victorian State Government, City of Melbourne, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre as well as private enterprise including over 150+ partners to secure and deliver outstanding business events for Melbourne and Victoria.

For over 50 years, MCB has worked with international and national associations, corporates and event planners to identify and bid for the right to host conferences, incentive travel reward programs and other business events from around the world. MCB has an unequalled reputation for facilitating the delivery of exceptional events for clients and delegates, creating impactful legacies that last well beyond the event.

With staff and representation in five countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, China, Malaysia and Australia, MCB is well placed to support your organisation across the conference journey.

MCB’s vision is to make Victoria one of the world’s most successful conference destinations, while its mission is to maximise the benefits from conferences to the Victorian economy.

MELBOURNE CONVENTION BUREAU:
CORE FUNCTIONS

National and international convention bidding
To ensure Melbourne and regional Victoria secure lucrative business events from national and international association clients

Incentive and corporate travel bidding
To ensure Melbourne and regional Victoria secure profitable and rewarding incentive and corporate travel groups from international markets

Convention servicing
To ensure that business events held in Victoria are a resounding success

Securing government support
To ensure that business events held in the state align with government policy and are subsequently backed by government on a local, state and federal level

Partner services
To ensure MCB’s clients have access to Victoria’s leading business events suppliers and MCB partners are provided with valuable sales leads

Research
To build MCB’s reputation as a thought leader on the global stage

Marketing and communications
To ensure Victoria is recognised globally as one of the world’s premier business events destinations

BestCities
MCB is a founding member of the BestCities Global Alliance; a network of 12 international convention bureaux - Berlin, Cape Town, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Houston, Madrid, Singapore, Tokyo, Vancouver and Melbourne - which are committed to a quality assured convention bureau service charter. This charter is certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance.


HOW MCB CAN ASSIST

HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU: INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES

Melbourne is Australia’s knowledge capital and innovation hub. A city of great minds that incubates thinkers, creators, innovators and producers from health and medical; science and engineering; to education, business, culture and technology.

The state of Victoria continues to excel in the fields of medicine, science, technology, engineering and education, and it is these achievements, combined with Melbourne’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and accessibility, that have seen the city recognised as one of the world’s premier conference destinations for association events.

The calibre of major international conferences being held in Melbourne gives weight to the global endorsement now achieved, with the city attracting some of the world’s largest and most prestigious events.

MCB can assist associations with the following activities:

  • Identifying conference opportunities
  • Securing a local host to lead the bid and financially underwrite the bid
  • Liaising with government and industry leaders to obtain support
  • Developing bid strategies, documents and presentations
  • Developing bid strategies and critical paths
  • Preparing business cases, competitor analysis, preliminary budgets and risk analysis
  • Coordinating inspections for key decision makers
  • Lobbying campaigns and strategies
  • Providing advice and assistance on the creation of inaugural events
  • Hybrid event planning


HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU: CONVENTION SERVICING

As a full service bureau, MCB has a team dedicated to assisting associations with the logistics of holding a conference in Melbourne once the bid has been won.

To maximise conference attendance, the convention servicing team works alongside local hosts and conference organisers to develop delegate boosting initiatives and other marketing activities in the years preceding the event.

MCB can assist associations with the following activities:

  • Preparation of promotional material and media assistance
  • Delegate boosting activities to drive attendance
  • Sourcing a professional conference organiser or destination management company
  • Providing site inspection support
  • Locating suitable venues and accommodation within Melbourne or regional Victoria that meet specified criteria
  • Sourcing suppliers, including entertainers, catering and guest speakers
  • Providing pre and post touring options


HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU: INCENTIVE AND CORPORATE TRAVEL REWARD PROGRAMS

Melbourne is a haven for exploration and discovery. With unique activities and attractions, year-round events calendar and sophisticated food and wine scene, our vibrant city offers a multitude of ever-changing and exclusive reward experiences.

For incentive planners, Melbourne offers the best of Australia with ‘once-in-a-lifetime experiences. For delegates, Melbourne provides a year-round calendar of events in a city that nurtures just about every form of entertainment.

And the appeal doesn’t stop at the city limits. As Australia’s smallest state on the mainland, Victoria offers easy access to an abundance of breathtaking experiences in regional Victoria.

Choose from: rustic gourmet food and wine regions; encounters with kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat; opt for the healing waters of natural hot springs; or a tour of the most scenic coastal road in the world. It’s all available and it’s all within a few hours of Melbourne.

MCB’s international incentives team provides advice and assistance in generating corporate and incentive business for Melbourne from around the world. The team offers seamless planning expertise and will go the extra mile to ensure delegates take part in a program that is truly interactive, engaging and memorable.

MCB can assist incentive planners with the following activities:

  • Accommodation and venue recommendations
  • Co-ordination of site inspections
  • Social programs, sample incentive itineraries, team building activities, special event recommendations and proposal preparation
  • Sourcing of suppliers and contractors, and referral to inbound tour operators, destination management companies and professional conference organisers
  • Promotional and marketing support, such as visitor information, maps, shopping and dining guides, postcards and promotional videos
  • Letters of support from state and local government
  • Information about customs and immigration procedures


HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU: PARTNERSHIPS

Partners include:

  • Accommodation and convention/meeting venues
  • Tour operators
  • Service providers
  • Professional conference organisers
  • Restaurants
  • Retailers
  • Attractions
  • Airlines

MCB’s partnership team delivers sales leads and provides networking, business and educational opportunities for its partners, as well as co-operative marketing opportunities through advertising, trade shows and MCB-generated publicity.

MCB builds strong relationships with a range of partners to promote Melbourne and to bid for national and international business events to be staged in Victoria.

MCB’s current strategic partners include:

  • Victoria State Government
  • City of Melbourne
  • Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
  • Pan Pacific Melbourne
  • Accor Hotels
  • Crown Hotels
  • Melbourne Airport
  • Showtime Event Group
  • Melbourne and Olympic Parks
  • Harry the Hirer
  • Marvel Stadium

MCB Knowledge Partners

MCB has partnered with a number of leading organisations in the knowledge community to drive collaboration opportunities, amplify Melbourne’s position as a global knowledge hub, and support the development of local talent. These include: Doherty Institute, AusBiotech, Burnet Institute, Bio21 Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, RMIT University and Melbourne Connect.


HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU: YOUR LOCAL EVENT PLANNING SUPPORT

The Melbourne Convention Bureau provide a complimentary one-stop-service for planners providing a range of creative and customised solutions to best meet your event brief and budget.

With over 200 leading venue, accommodation, transport, catering and entertainment options in Melbourne and regional Victoria, we will take the lead in connecting you to the right people, places and products to ensure your event is planned and executed with ease.

The Melbourne Convention Bureau can provide the following complimentary services:

Advice and referrals to suppliers such as venues, accommodation, transport, tourism experiences, & itinerary development

Define event requirements, create and send Request For Proposals (RFPs) to venues, accommodation, transport, and tourism experience providers

Book site inspection itineraries, collate conference and social venue proposals for any future event and organise delegate and destination information.

Hybrid event planning support such as advice and referrals on format and technology selection, defining event requirements, adapting content and state-of-the-art live studios.


CONTACT MCB

Melbourne - Head Office

Level 8, 271 Spring Street
Melbourne, VIC Australia 3000
T +61 3 9002 2222
info@melbournecb.com.au

Southeast Asia

Contact: Kelvin Yin
T +6012 884 8388
kualalumpur@melbournecb.com.au


Greater North Asia

Contact: James Zheng
james.zheng@melbournecb.com.au

India

Representation service - Beautiful Planet
Contact: Huzan Fraser
T +91 98201 90753
huzan@beautifulplanet.co.in

North America

Maria Rivera: T +1 301 802 6254
Theresa DeConinck: T +1 202 251 4916
northamerica@melbournecb.com.au


United Kingdom and Europe

Fiona Chappell: T +44 7423 437867
Giles Handford: T +44 7733 661876
europe@melbournecb.com.au



We acknowledge the First Peoples throughout Victoria and their ongoing connection to the land and waters. We pay our respects to their culture, knowledge and Elders past and present.