While Mildura is well-established as a leisure destination, the visit provided an opportunity to look at the region through a different lens. Exploring their business events venues, accommodation, experiences, food and wine, and the unique industry stories that could incorporate into business events.
For the BEV team, it was a valuable opportunity to experience firsthand what Mildura can offer event planners and to better understand how we can promote the destination to event planners.
The program showcased the breadth of Mildura’s offering, with the team visiting a mix of accommodation, conference and event venues, local attractions, food and wine experiences.
Highlights included Mildura Arts Centre, the riverfront and Powerhouse, Trentham Estate, Trentham Waters, Perry Sandhills, FOSO, Quality Hotel Mildura Grand, Kar-Rama, Quest Mildura, Willow & Ivie, Mildura Boathouse, Vanden Estate and the Mildura Sporting Precinct.
The diversity of the offering is significant for event planners. Mildura can cater to different event styles and group requirements while providing opportunities to take delegates beyond the traditional conference environment.
Agriculture and horticulture are central to the region’s identity with grapes, citrus and other produce forming an important part of the local economy and visitor experience. For business events, this creates an opportunity to turn an important local industry into a meaningful delegate experience. From site visits and behind-the-scenes tours to industry connections and educational experiences.
Today’s event planners are increasingly looking for ways to make events more engaging, relevant and memorable. Mildura provides an opportunity to build a program around the destination. Rather than simply holding an event within it.
Mildura’s accessibility further strengthens its proposition. Mildura Airport is serviced by regular flights connecting the region with major Australian cities, making it accessible for delegates travelling from across the country. For Melbourne-based planners, the flight to Mildura takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
The visit reinforced the value of firsthand destination knowledge. Experiencing the region through a business events lens revealed a different side of the destination.
The question shifts from “What can I do here” to “What could I create here for my delegates?”
For event planners looking beyond the traditional conference destinations, Mildura is a destination worth putting on the map.
