Key Statistics
Country
Australia
Population
5.2 million
air routes
76 destinations direct to Melbourne
official language
English
hotel rooms
26,500+
event planners
11+ partners
number of venues
80 unique venues
max event capacity
14,000+
currency
Australian dollar
max plenary SPACE
5,500 people
max Exhibition SPACE
39.000 sqm of pillar-less space
About the City
Melbourne is undisputedly the cultural capital of Australia where creativity and innovation come together to deliver great events. A city where the world’s brightest minds gather to inspire, innovate and deliver real change in world-leading research and development.
With its vibrant, multicultural population, temperate climate and outstanding quality of life, Melbourne is an ideal destination for conference organisers and delegates alike, voted for the ninth time ‘Oceania’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination’ at the 2023 World Travel Awards. The city is compact, convenient, and easy to navigate with everything on a delegate’s doorstep. In fact, its unique event infrastructure provides the opportunity to meet, stay, and play all within the heart of Melbourne.
Melbourne boasts the country’s highest concentration of conference facilities, conveniently located in the heart of the city and is home to the largest convention and exhibition centre in the country, and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Melbourne’s Six Green Star-rated convention centre is centrally located on the banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River in the city’s bustling dining and entertainment district. Melbourne boasts the largest market share of hotels in Australia, giving event planners and delegates plenty of choices.
As part of the unique Melbourne experience, delegates can easily walk or catch free, solar-powered trams from their accommodation to the convention centre and the majority of Melbourne’s event venues. This also provides delegates with the opportunity to truly get a taste of Melbourne, making their journey all the more valuable.
With a blend of historical and modern architecture, hidden laneways, beautiful green spaces, an outstanding calendar of major events, and a sophisticated food and wine scene, Melbourne is a haven for exploration and entertainment. Plus, visitors need only drive for a little more than an hour in almost any direction to discover a myriad of experiences from thermal hot springs to world-class wineries.
- 2023 World Travel Awards winner, Oceania’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination.
- Melbourne is Australia’s most Liveable City, and in the world’s top three, according to the 2023 Global Liveability Index.
- Melbourne is Australia’s number one Sustainable City for business events according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index).
- Melbourne is in the top 5 per cent of the world’s most Innovative Cities in the 2022/2023 Innovation Cities Global Index by 2thinknow.
- Melbourne is accredited as an international ‘Safe City’ by the World Health Organisation.
Unique Venues in the City
Industries
We focus on these industries
Professional services and finance
Engineering
Health, medical technologies and pharmaceuticals
Energy and environment
Food and fibre
Transport and logistics
Information and communications technology
Education
Sustainability Facts
The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) places a strong emphasis on sustainability, recognising its critical importance as a key mission. Our goal is to secure business events that have a positive impact on the social, environmental and economic aspects of the city, and to reinforce our position as a safe, sustainable and innovative destination worldwide. MCB works hard to prioritise sustainability efforts within the business events industry, and we urge our association clients and delegates to join us in achieving our collective sustainability goals.
FACTS:
- Australia’s number one Sustainable City for business events
- The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Australia’s largest, was the world’s first convention center to receive a 6-star green star rating
- Victoria was one of the first jurisdictions in the world to put a net-zero emissions target in law
- Single-use plastics that pose environmental concerns are prohibited for sale or distribution across the entire state
- Melbourne’s trams run on renewable energy generated by two solar farms
- Together with the City of Melbourne, MCEC is a founding participant in the Melbourne Energy Renewable Project (MREP). This initiative unites 14 respected organizations in Melbourne to collaborate on the creation of a wind farm in regional Victoria
- Renewable Energy Target of 95% renewable electricity generation by 2035
Connect with us
Beverley Williamson
General Manager Sales, Melbourne
Explore the city
Things to do
Culture, Attractions, Sights
BestCities Events
Find out where you can meet BestCities destinations and our partners at our upcoming events.
View events