Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau wins two MIAA Awards

Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) is celebrating this week, following two award wins at the Australian meeting industry’s most prestigious awards.

The Meeting Industry Association of Australia (MIAA) presented its 2003 Victorian Meetings & Events Industry Awards at the Melbourne Town Hall on Monday evening, 1 December.

MCVB won the award for best Convention Bureau/Tourism Organisation and Lili Khanbashi, the Bureau’s marketing communications coordinator, won the Young Industry Professional Scholarship.

The Minister for Tourism John Pandazopoulos presented the award to MCVB and congratulated all of the winners and entrants on their achievements and commitment to the industry. 

"Tourism is big business in Victoria and the meetings and events sector makes a major contribution to it. A staggering 1.7 million people attended a business event in Victoria last year, spending $1.1 billion. More than 250,000 delegates came from overseas. That adds up to a major economic contribution to the State and jobs for Victorians,” the Minister said.

Mike Williams, MCVB’s general manager sales + marketing, said that winning the award was “absolutely fantastic”.

“The last year has been one of dramatic change and reengineering of the Bureau, with new business systems and work practices, new revenue streams and new business units put into place. We took a number of bold new initiatives designed to increase medium to long term productivity and sustainability,” he said.

“MCVB has positioned itself as the Bureau of the Future and we believe that new thinking is the way ahead if we are going to be sustainable and relevant in a changing global environment.

“This award recognizes the tremendous work and effort that has gone into new initiatives at MCVB over the last year, and brings us one step closer to winning the national MIAA award, being announced at the MIAA National Conference on 4 May 2004.

Sean Tame from USI Ungerboeck Systems International presented the 2003 MIAA Young Industry Professional Scholarship to Lili Khanbashi. The Scholarship provides free registration to the MIAA National Conference at the new Crown Promenade Hotel, Melbourne, 2-4 May 2004.

“I see this not only as a great opportunity but the beginning of a long term partnership. On top of attending seminars, growing my business networks and fostering relationships, I would love to put something back into MIAA,” said a delighted Lili Khanbashi.

Lili Khanbashi commenced employment with MCVB as business events assistant in January 2002 and was promoted to marketing communication coordinator in November 2002.