Business Events Sunshine Coast (BESC) has this week hosted 10 New Zealand business event buyers and one key trade media on a familiarisation (famil) tour of the Sunshine Coast region.

The four day, three night famil tour for key professional conference and incentive organisers has been developed to showcase the Sunshine Coast’s business products, events and experiences.

“We have received tremendous support for this fantastic famil program with more than 35 local business event operators participating and pitching their products and experiences to key buyers looking for venues” said Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd (SCDL) CEO, Steve Cooper. “Bringing operators together with buyers is key to developing relationships and leads to increased business from the conference and incentive market for our region.

“The New Zealand market has been quiet in recent times, due to the strong Australian dollar among other things. Now is the perfect time to be educating these buyers on our regions business events offerings to ensure we remain on the consideration set into 2012 and beyond,” said Mr Cooper.

The Sunshine Coast has experienced significant development in the business events sector with the addition of new hotels, innovative team building and activities. “It is now timely to educate New Zealand’s leading buyers on what the Sunshine Coast can offer their clients.” added Mr Cooper.

The event buyers have travelled from Auckland and Wellington to visit the region.

BESC is a division of SCDL, whose responsibility is to market the Sunshine Coast as a viable, attractive and sustainable business events destination. A reported $60 million dollars is generated from the 50,000-plus delegates travelling to the Sunshine Coast annually. These important business visitors spend up to five times more than a leisure traveller.

Some of the group gather on the jetty walkway at Novotel
Twin Waters Resort after taking a boat ride from Mooloolaba.