Following the announcement of the formation of the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) from three representative bodies, members of Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), have unanimously voted to de-register BECA.
BECA will cease operations at the beginning of the new financial year and will continue to aid implement the $2 million Business Events Economic Contribution project with Tourism Research Australia up to then.
BECA Chair Dr Leo Jago described how the impact of COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated the need for a unified voice for business events. “The global pandemic challenged Australia’s business events industry and highlighted the need for a well-resourced peak body to foster the growth of business events via a focus on research, advocacy, and professional development.” he said.
The BECA board, which is made up of 5 representative bodies, appointed independent expert consultants to advise on a better resourced and more suitable model to provide representation for business events.
The review led to the formation of the Australian Business Events Association to succeed BECA, and is an amalgamation of Exhibition & Event Association of Australia EEAA, Association of Australian Convention Bureaux AACB, and Australian Convention Centres Group.
Of the remaining two bodies, the Professional Conference Organisers Association PCOA is yet to provide an official response to the closure of BECA and formation of the ABEA, whilst Meetings & Events Australia claim to represent all types of events as their point of difference to ABEA.
“BECA and its many achievements provides a solid platform upon which a new and better resourced peak body will support business events in the decades to come” said Dr Jago
