ADELAIDE HAS A RECORD 2017

ADELAIDE has recorded its biggest year ever after securing $247 million worth of events for the city.

The successful year tied in with the launch of the expanded Adelaide Convention Centre, which hosted the city’s largest conference ever, with 4,470 delegates attending the 68th annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

The event was also one of the largest in IAC’s history.

Adelaide Convention Bureau ceo Damien Kitto said Adelaide came of age this year.

“As a destination we’re more large group incentive ready than ever with the local industry learning a lot since Dreamtime and the Perfect China visit in Jun,” he said.

The Perfect China incentive saw 3,000 delegates in waves of 500 visit Adelaide for three days at a time.

Organisers of the Perfect China incentive received a 91.8% satisfactory score from attendees for the itinerary, transport, food and hotels.

Major conferences won this year include the 2018 Australian Diabetes Society Annual Scientific Meeting which will bring 2,000 delegates, while the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists 50th Scientific Congress will see 1,700 attend in Nov.

In 2019, 1,200 delegates will visit Adelaide for the Human Proteome Organisation World Congress at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Sep.

This year was also a big one for famil showcases with the bureau’s calendar of events expanding the annual Destination SA in Apr and a Health Sciences and Medical event in May, plus the inaugural Agricultural showcase in Jun.

The Adelaide Convention Bureau said all three events were well attended, with buyers enjoying the best of South Australia and its capital.

“It’s an exciting time to be in a relatively undiscovered destination that seems to be on a lot of ‘must see’ lists,” said Kitto.