Western Australia will become the nation’s meetings mecca during the next 12 months with business events expected to inject more than $102 million into the State’s economy.

Perth Convention Bureau’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Beeson said today that more than 50,000 delegates are expected to attend a total of 91 conventions, exhibitions and corporate incentive programs booked into the State in the 2011-2012 financial year.

“This is the first time in the Bureau’s history that business we have secured in previous years will pass the magical $100 million mark in projected delegate expenditure over a 12 month period,” he said.

This figure did not include the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October for which the Bureau was not required to submit a bid. CHOGM alone is expected to inject more than $50 million into the State’s economy.

Beeson said the business events bonanza was the result of strong growth in sales results over the previous four years.

“We have no reason to believe that the growth will slow in the next 12 months when for the first time in our history our annual sales target will exceed $101 million,” he added.

To mark this results milestone, the Bureau last night organised a ‘thank you’ function for local meeting hosts who Beeson said were the key to WA’s growing status as a business events destination.

The local hosts were guests of the Bureau at the world premiere performance of Tim Winton’s debut play ‘Rising Water’ at the State Theatre Centre.

Beeson said that having an active community of local hosts who were keen to showcase WA and its expertise across a broad range of industries underpinned the success of the business events sector.

“The local hosts are the people who put their hands up to host conferences, so we are indebted to them. They are passionate about showcasing the achievements of their particular industry sectors to the wider world,” he said.

The Bureau – established in 1972 – is responsible for marketing Perth and Western Australia as a business events destination encompassing conventions, exhibitions and incentive travel groups.