Melbourne Convention Bureau set to impress at AIME 2024

The Melbourne Convention Bureau - owners of Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) - is set to impress at AIME this year, with the Melbourne, Victoria stand showcasing an array of city’s partners that can facilitate collaboration and deliver real outcomes for event planners. 

AIME 2024 will be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 19th -21st February 2024.

Visitors to the Melbourne, Victoria stand can expect to meet with Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and 11 top suppliers in the industry, learn more about Australia's events capital strengths as a meeting, incentives and conventions destination, while also being immersed in cultural flavours and experiences supplied by Melbourne’s contemporary Indigenous owned and led business event suppliers.

MCB Chief Officer Julia Swanson is excited the bureau is taking a leadership role in the industry, emphasising their commitment to evolving business events offerings to appeal to the next generation of event buyers and planners, which are inclusive and can drive social impact.

Swanson notes “In 2023 we initiated collaborations with talented First Peoples owned and led businesses to enhance our stand's offerings, including activations and a Yarning Area on the second storey of the stand.

“This year, the Melbourne, Victoria stand will feature native fusion sweet treats and gin tastings by Pawa Catering & Events and Taka Gin Co, as well as traditional shield wood burning demonstrations with fine artist Uncle Mick Harding from Ngarga Warendj.

“There will be a skilful Welcome to Country Yidaki performance by Kiernan Ironfield to commence the trade show, couverture chocolate tastings using native flavours by Indigenous and family-owned business Loco for Cocoa, even a mini wellness workshop by Aboriginal facilitator Lee Couch, who runs fantastic team building experiences for business events.’

Meanwhile on the ground floor of the stand, hosted buyers and visitors can chat with the  destination's leading suppliers about their upcoming events.

The Melbourne, Victoria stand will host prominent organisations, including Melbourne Convention Bureau; Showtime Event Group; Saxton Speakers Bureau; Grazeland; Victoria Pavilion; Melbourne Showgrounds; Pullman Melbourne on the Park; Restaurant Associates representing Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo; Chadstone the Fashion Capital; Hotel Chadstone Melbourne M Gallery; Business Events Victoria; Mercure Melbourne Doncaster; Novotel Melbourne on Collins, and Novotel Melbourne Preston.

It will be hard not to miss the Melbourne, Victoria stand at AIME 2024. Sitting centre stage in the Victoria Precinct – that holds the largest footprint on the trade show floor - the bright and bold Indigenous artwork lining the walls of the two-storey stand will be a focal point from across the floor.

MCB worked with Indigenous owned creative agency Little Rocket to design the stand's artwork cladding, along with stunning native botanical installations by Indigenous Melbourne florist Alchemy Orange.

The Yarning Area on the second storey also serves free barista coffee all day and offers armchairs, tables and bar stools to relax and get a birds eye view of AIME.

Schedule of activations at the Melbourne, Victoria stand:

Tuesday 20th February
9.00 – 9.15am   Yidaki performance by Kiernan Ironfield
10.30 – 11.30am Chocolate tasting featuring native ingredients by Melbourne business Loco for Cocoa
12.30 – 2pm  Shield wood burning demonstration with Ngarga Warendj
3.00 – 5.30pm   Native fusion gin tasting with Indigenous-owned brand Taka Gin Co

Wednesday 21st February
10.30 – 11.30am  Shield wood burning demonstration with Ngarga Warendj

AIME 2024 will be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 19th -21st February 2024