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Business Events Venues Industry, Australia (cat. no. 8566.0)

PURPOSE

The business events industry operates venues to support conferences, seminars, workshops, colloquia, conventions, exhibitions, and other events (such as incentives and business lunches/dinners). Such events are designed to enhance the development of the industries and associations which host them and to provide a means of sharing knowledge and information.

Business events have significant economic impact in their own right and are sought after by private and government agencies in the cities or regions in which they are held. They generate significant economic activity which would not otherwise occur in the cities and regions in which they are held: these include direct inputs such as registration fees, accommodation, meals and beverages, transport, entertainment, shopping, and in the process employment is created.

In 1999 the Bureau of Tourism Research completed a study of the Australian meetings and exhibitions industry sector which suggested that basic statistics on the structure and operations of the events industry were not available. The BTR study provided some basis upon which to estimate the economic activity of the events venue industry, however it revealed significant gaps in the information available on the industry. This Business Events Venues Survey attempts to fill some of those gaps.

The survey collects data which will provide information on the types of events held, the financial operations of the industry in terms of income and expenditure and the capacity and use of events venues. This will inform major stakeholders including industry associations (e.g. the Business Events Council of Australia, Meetings Industry Association of Australia, and Exhibition and Event Association of Australia) , other ABS statistical collection areas, government agencies and the business establishments operating in the industry. It will also provide information (such as comparative size of operations and profitability) to inform decisions made by business establishments who wish to enter the industry.

SCOPE

The scope of the collection includes all businesses operating in 2000-2001 within Australia which provided venue facilities and services in support of business events. Venues included within the scope of the collection must meet the following criteria:

• able to provide for venue facilities for 500 or more delegates or attendees
• in both plenary (whole of conference) and multi-location concurrent (ie "break-out") sessions
• whose main activity is business events (as opposed to social or entertainment)

• number of establishments providing venues and other facilities for business events
• employment
• capacity and usage including space (area) of venues, type and number of events held, number of delegates/attendees

• income and expenses
• operating profit before tax, operating profit margin, industry value added
• selected operating ratios, eg:labour costs per employee, venue hire to total income, venue hire income per sq. metre, attendees per event

• Meetings, conferences and conventions: All off site gatherings, held in commercial venue space, which consist of more than 15 people. This would also involve congresses, seminars, workshops, symposiums, and associated gatherings that bring together people for a common purpose.
• Exhibitions - An event that brings together suppliers of products, equipment, and services in an environment where they can display their products and services.
• Other events - This includes weddings, graduations, parties etc.