Record business for Australia’s regions

Australia’s business tourism sector has bounced back after two soft years, according to figures from the Perth and Sydney Convention Bureaus. Western Australia secured a record A$84.74m (£33m) from business tourism in 2003-04, exceeding its annual target and beating the previous year by 17 per cent. Incentive travel and corporate meetings, which had been hit by health and terrorism crises in Asia, have recovered, with 176 incentive and corporate groups last year delivering A$28m (£11m). The region has attracted 27 international conferences over the next four years, including the International Puppet Congress. A further 45 national conventions have been attracted by 2011. Bureau managing director Anne-Marie Ferguson said: "We will see continued growth from this market over the next couple of year. Our proximity to Asia and our increased infrastructure and product are underpinning growth." Meanwhile Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced a record year winning A$192m (£75m) of business leading up to 2012.