The Adelaide Convention Centre, backed by key players in South Australia's tourism and hospitality industries, is ramping up its European marketing in the associations sector.
Its latest strategic move is the appointment of well-known UK-based meetings industry marketer and researcher, Sheila Williams, as European representative.
Ms Williams has extensive experience in international sales and marketing in the associations, conference and exhibitions sector and has been involved with incentives travel for many years.
The renewed push into Europe by the Adelaide Centre is being championed by new Chief Executive, Alec Gilbert, formerly CEO of the award-winning International Convention Centre Durban, in South Africa.
Since taking the helm in Adelaide in July, Mr Gilbert has been gathering support for a co-operative marketing effort by the biggest and most influential tourism and hospitality organisations in South Australia. His theory is that for centres like Adelaide in regional locations, can succeed by being "canny and smart", pooling their marketing resources, and working as a team to attract new business.
"We are superb hosts in Adelaide and have enormous appeal as a user-friendly destination," Mr Gilbert said. "We do what we do with style, panache, superb efficiency and we are known and respected for it. The problem is, we aren't well enough known " but that's about to change in Europe.
Mr Gilbert said that while Sheila Williams would be spearheading the Centre's profile-raising activities, he and Director of Sales & Marketing, Sue Hocking, would be right behind her, with professional and practical support from the South Australian Tourism Commission and the Adelaide Convention & Tourism Authority.
Both Ms Hocking and Ms Williams will be at the Australian stand at EIBTM in Barcelona from Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 November, and also available via phone or email, +61 411 261 986, sue.hocking@adelaidecc.com.au
Further information: Sue Hocking, Director, Sales & Marketing,
Phone +61 8 8212 4099 email: sue.hocking@adelaidecc.com.au
