Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), in partnership with Meet Geelong & The Bellarine and Associations Forum, recently hosted a famil program that gave association and professional conference organisers the opportunity to experience firsthand the region’s growing business events offering.
 
Designed to showcase Geelong and The Bellarine as conference and events-ready destinations, the program highlighted the breadth of venues, accommodation, dining experiences and unique attractions available to planners seeking fresh options for business events. The experience demonstrated the region’s capacity to host a diverse range of events, from association conferences to incentive experiences.
 
A key takeaway for participants was the ease of access from Melbourne. Several attendees travelled via the V/Line service and were impressed by the convenience and affordability of the journey, reinforcing confidence in recommending the region for future event programs.
 
One of the greatest strengths of the famil was the opportunity for planners to immerse themselves in the destination. By experiencing venues, attractions and delegate experiences firsthand, participants gained a deeper understanding of the region’s capabilities and inspiration for future conference and event design.
 
The program also created valuable opportunities for engagement between association planners, professional conference organisers and Victorian industry partners. Through site inspections, networking opportunities and conversations with local suppliers, attendees built relationships, explored future collaborations and gained insight into the experiences available to delegates.
 
Importantly, the famil showcased the power of collaboration across Victoria’s business events sector. Delivered through a partnership between MCB, Meet Geelong & The Bellarine, Associations Forum and industry partners, the program demonstrated the value of the Team Melbourne approach in attracting and delivering successful business events.
 
Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees expressing increased confidence in recommending Geelong and The Bellarine for future conferences and events, while direct engagement with local suppliers strengthened their connection to the destination and its business events proposition.