Already the largest generator of employment for the NSW Hunter region, the strength of the local Healthcare industry has secured another two medically related conferences for Newcastle in the past couple of weeks.

These two conferences are estimated to be worth in approx of $500,000 to the local economy and will bring 400 delegates to the region for a total of 2,000 room nights.

The conferences are  the 2011 Vascular Interventions Conference and the 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Society of Aerospace Medicine.

World -class expertise in endovascular interventions by surgeons at the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital has ensured that this conference returns to Newcastle for the third time. The conference will feature live case demonstrations of operations being performed at Lake Macquarie hospital and transmitted live to the conference audience at Newcastle City Hall. This has been particularly appreciated by Australian surgeons, but now, also attracts international vascular interventionists.

Part of the charter of the Australian Society of Aerospace Medicine is to increase the awareness of the aviation industry, government, and the general public of the importance of aviation medicine to flight safety. Newcastle’s growing profile in Aerospace industry was a key element in securing this conference.

“The Healthcare sector would account for at least 15% of the conferences that we have confirmed over the past financial year and is the largest single industry sector represented in the conferences that take place here,” said conventions manager at the Newcastle Visitors & Convention Bureau, Ruth Appleby.

Over the next few weeks Newcastle and its surrounding areas will play host to conferences as diverse as the 2010 Anglican Cursillo Movement Gathering ( 350-400 delegates for 3 days); the 27th Annual Society of Architectural Historians of Australia and New Zealand (120 delegates for 3 days) and the 2010 Equine Veterinarians Conference (200 delegates for 5 days).

NVCB is a service unit of Newcastle City Council that has been marketing Newcastle and the surrounding areas as a conference destination for the past 17 years.