MECC's event focus - Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre - Brief Article

Business Asia, May, 2001

THE MELBOURNE Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC) will be the focus of the world's leading event managers when the centre hosts the combined general assemblies of AIPC and APECC.

The Association Internationale des Palais de Congres (AIPC) and the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council (APECC) will take over MECC from 1 to 4 July 2001.

AIPC is the principal professional body for congress centre managers worldwide, providing meeting planners with a guarantee of outstanding facilities, comprehensive technical equipment, and modern and professional management. APECC is a non-profit, non-political, international organisation founded in 1989 in Seoul. APECC's goal is to promote the overall business interests of members, through close mutual cooperation and to encourage the progress of the exhibition and convention industries in the Pacific Rim region. APECC has 33 member organisations from 15 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

This industry gathering will be unique for two reasons. It will be the first time that the AIPC has held their annual congress in Australia and it is also the first time that it will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the APECC and the World Council for Venue Management (WCVM).

"Our aim at the conference is to encourage an open forum where information and ideas can be shared on a range of subjects such as technology, business performance and facility design," says congress chair and MECC chief executive Leigh Harry. "Having all three groups together presents a wonderful opportunity for us to do this as well as learn from each other's experiences.

"Throughout the conference, our objective will be to ensure delegates are in a position to learn from other's experiences.

"We also recognise that it is important for participants to experience, first hand, the other major cities and venues of Australia's east coast, so a post-conference tour has been arranged which will take in the Olympic venue at Homebush, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and Cairns Convention Centre."

The MECC is now internationally recognised as one of the world's best following the announcement at the 2000 AIPC General Assembly that the MECC had been awarded the Best Congress Centre of the Year 2000.