Sandra Chipchase elected as President of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux

Sandra Chipchase, Chief Executive Officer of the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau has been elected as the new President of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) replacing outgoing President Robyn Hendry. Joining her as Vice President is John Fitzgerald, CEO of the Sunshine Coast CVB.

Ms Chipchase said, "International business visitors spend almost five times more than leisure tourists. These visitors offer Australia high yield and dispersal as 46% pre and post tour to regional areas and others parts of Australia," 

"As well as the obvious economic benefits for Australian venues, exhibition companies, hotels, retail and transport providers, these high profile international conventions and corporate events play an important role in building expertise and facilitating the growth and development of our key industries.

"Australia boasts some of the world’s best venues for staging conventions and exhibitions. Combined with our vast range of tourist attractions, natural attributes, Indigenous history and culture, shopping, food and wine, this makes us a highly desirable business events destination," Ms Chipchase added.

AACB’s new President said she is confident that with Government focus on the importance of the sector coupled with the more aggressive collective marketing of Australia’s Business Events capabilities, in conjunction with Tourism Australia, the country will see an increased market share.

"Globally Australia is currently ranked 9th in the world in terms of the number of association meetings per country," Ms Chipchase said.

"AACB’s goal is to persuade more and more members of the global business community to choose Australia for their business events, experience how professional and efficient we are, see how fantastic this country is, and come back again."

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