PERTH Convention Bureau (PCB) is riding on the organic growth of business events from Indonesia to build long-term relationships and boost inbound MICE traffic to the Western Australia capital.
Speaking at PCB’s inaugural marketing campaign and roadshow to Indonesia, the bureau’s CEO, Paul Beeson, said: “There have been about 60,000 business event visits (from Indonesia to Perth) in the last eight to 12 months, representing an increase of 26 per cent over the same period last year. Our long-term goal is to have an annual six per cent increase of the market.”
“It is an organic growth so we know the market is there,” Beeson added. “We know it is coming and we just have to facilitate it.”
According to Beeson, PCB will organise an annual roadshow to Indonesia to facilitate meetings with travel trade members and business events planners.
Tourism Western Australia marketing manager Indonesia, Faridah Ibrahim, has also been tasked to visit multiple Indonesian cities every three months to garner leads and build business opportunities.
Beeson added: “We will invite the decision-makers to come and visit Perth. We have noticed that people tend to be reluctant to come, but when they do come, they enjoy it. So if we can get the decision-makers down, we hope they will bring their events to Perth.”
Only four-hours’ flight from Jakarta, Perth is not new to Indonesians. However, there has been a lack of marketing activities targeting Indonesians since the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s, until Tourism Western Australia resumed promotions recently.
