Melbourne is welcoming thousands of international and local buyers and exhibitors to the 2023 Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) this week, delivering major benefits to Victoria’s economy.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos opened the AIME program today, welcoming business event professionals from more than 25 countries to Melbourne.
Staged annually, AIME is the leading trade event for the business events industry in the Asia Pacific region.
This year marks 30 years of AIME with the 2023 event to take place at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 13-15 February with support from the Andrews Labor Government.
Around 2,000 buyers, suppliers and event planners have gathered for three days of business, networking and education that will generate business for Victoria and other destinations in the region.
Over three decades, AIME has brought the business events community together to connect, learn and create business opportunities.
Research from the 2022 event showed that $120 million worth of business events were transacted as a result of AIME.
Melbourne has a strong track record in securing and delivering world-class business events, supported by elite event infrastructure, quality accommodation, accessible public transport and exciting city experiences.
MCB’s pipeline of business events for Melbourne is strong, with 141 international and national business events confirmed from now until 2028 set to fill more than 450,000 room nights – enough to fill the city 19 times over and contribute more than $895 million to Victoria’s visitor economy.
May 2023 is shaping up to be massive with 23 events scheduled to take place across the city including the Rotary International Convention, the International Conference on Software Engineering and SpineWeek, with close to 17,500 delegates expected across these three events alone.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
“AIME gives Victoria a huge opportunity to harness the benefits that business events can deliver for the economy now and into the future.”
“International business events like AIME bring thousands of visitors to Melbourne, providing a boost to local hotels, restaurants and shops, while also showcasing our city’s strength as a world-class events destination.”
Quote attributable to Melbourne Convention Bureau Chief Executive Julia Swanson
“For Melbourne to host AIME for 30 years proves the significance of the event and demonstrates its importance to the global business events industry.”
Reviewed 13 February 2023