A program that aims to make Western Australia recognised as the most disabled-friendly State in Australia has won the Perth Convention Bureau a rare honour and won WA about $5 million.
The program won the PCB its second International Congress and Convention Association’s Best Marketing Award, making it the only convention bureau in the world to twice win the award.
What is also interesting about the program is that it is the fruit of an internal PCB move that encourages the bureau’s non-sales staff to hunt for convention hosting opportunities.
Beyond Compliance, the project boosting WA’s disabled friendliness, is a joint venture between the PCB, the Disability Services Commission and Curtin University and aims to bring about change by rewarding tours industry operators who are proactive in improving their accessibility and services.
Thanks to the disability sector focus, the bureau has already won six conferences for WA representing more than 2,360 delegates who are expected to inject $4.7 million into the State economy.
There are three other disability-related conferences in the offing for WA.
PCB communications manager Dion Bromilow said the beauty of the program was that it had required very few resources and already generated a good return.
So far less than $50,000 has been spent on the Beyond Compliance program for a projected return of $5 million on conventions already secured.
The Esplanade Hotel Fremantle contributed financially to the Beyond Compliance program and will be conducting an audit to see what areas it can improve for disability access.
One area being considered is the introduction of Braille menus.
A spokeswoman for the hotel said it would be running a training program for its staff and those of conference organiser EventEdge International Management Group – another key player in the Beyond Compliance program – in March.
She said the hotel was WA’s most disabled friendly hotel, with 11 disabled accessible rooms.
PCB researcher Scott Campbell, who identified the disability sector opportunities, and Curtin University’s Ruth Taylor will be giving presentations on the Beyond Compliance program to European convention industry players in London, Manchester and Paris.
Mr Campbell identified the disability sector opportunity due to his second role at the PCB.
About 18 months ago the bureau instituted a program that gave some of its non-sales staff a convention sector to focus on, along with their core bureau task.
Mr Campbell was told to focus on health and health-related businesses and, through that, identified the disability sectors option.
The health sector has proved a lucrative one for the PCB, making up about 40 per cent of WA’s conferences.
The PCB’s accountant was actually responsible for WA winning the World Puppetry Congress and Festival.
She identified the opportunity and even the host – WA’s Spare Parts Puppet Theatre.
WA beat China and Switzerland to secure the event, which is to be held in 2008 and expected to generate about $9 million in direct spending in the State.
PCB managing director Anne-Maree Ferguson’s personal assistant, who has been tasked with studying the environmental sector, has helped identify conference opportunities.
