NATIONAL BUSINESS EVENT STUDY (NBES

NATIONAL BUSINESS EVENT STUDY (NBES) AUSTRALIA
The National Business Event Study (NBES), conducted in Australia over the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, was essentially a situational analysis for the sector within Australia (Deery et al., 2005). The NBES is significant for informing this current study, both as an example of best practice for the way in which the study was carried out and as a source of information on the potential difficulties that could be encountered.
The objectives of the NBES were to provide information regarding the contribution of the sector to the Australian economy and enhance knowledge regarding delegate decision making. This information was seen as valuable for informing decision-making processes for the sector and providing benchmarks for assessment of performance in the future (Deery et al., 2005). The study was essentially an update and extension of the 1999 “Meetings Make Their Mark” report undertaken by the then Bureau of Tourism Research, with the 1999 study believed to be the first study of its kind and magnitude ever undertaken (Moore, 2005).
At the time when the study was undertaken, the process of developing the 2003 Tourism White Paper: A Medium to Long Term Strategy for Tourism had just commenced. The May 2002 release of a Tourism Discussion Paper to canvass industry and community views of the issues associated with tourism growth in Australia was the first stage in this process ( Australian Government, 2003). Interestingly, while the NBES was not a part of the formal consultation process for the development of the White Paper, the White Paper does specify the business event or MICE sector as an area that should be given considerable attention in regard to further development ( Australian Government, 2003). This has essentially been facilitated through the creation of Tourism Events Australia, which, unlike New Zealand Major Events, was tasked with the dual roles of assisting the attraction of major events to the country and promotion of the country as a business event destination (Tourism Australia, 2005). It has more recently shifted focus to become Business Events Australia and solely focus on promotion of the country as a business event destination (Tourism Australia, 2009). The NBES is now utilized by Tourism Events Australia as a key source of information regarding the size and contribution of the sector (Tourism Australia, n.d.).
The focus of that study was on measuring the size and contribution of the sector nationally, so that the method utilized ensured that information was collected from each component of the sector in each location within Australia. There were six key components or populations looked at within the study. Data was collected from the capital city and regional areas of each state and territory (Deery et al., 2005).