February 10th to Feb 11th, the Meet Geelong & The Bellarine team was on the ground at AIME 2026, representing our region and local industry at Australia’s leading business events trade show.
Held annually in Melbourne, AIME brings together event planners, conference organisers and incentive buyers from across Australia and the Asia Pacific. In 2026, the event welcomed more than 5,000 attendees, including over 1,500 vetted buyers and more than 750 exhibitors from 36 countries across the three-day program — creating a powerful platform to showcase destinations, build relationships and generate future business events leads.
For Geelong and The Bellarine, this presence is critical.
Events of this scale provide an opportunity to position our region confidently on the business events industry stage, highlighting not only our regions venue capabilities but the depth, diversity and professionalism of our local industry.
Across two days of pre-scheduled appointments and networking events, the team met with planners actively sourcing destinations for conferences, incentives and special events. Conversations centred on Geelong and The Bellarine as a destination that offers both scale and personality — from waterfront hotels and championship golf courses to immersive coastal experiences and a vibrant CBD precinct.
Strong Industry Representation
A major highlight was the strong interest in our exhibitor partners, whose presence on the Meet Geelong stand strengthened our collective message and showcased the breadth of our offering.
Our 2026 exhibitor partners included:
Together, these partners played a key role in buyer conversations, particularly with organisers seeking fresh, flexible event destinations within easy reach of Melbourne yet offering a distinctly regional experience.
Positioning Our Region for Growth
Beyond the appointments themselves, AIME once again demonstrated the value of face-to-face engagement. It allowed us to reinforce relationships, elevate awareness of our region’s growing business events capability and ensure Geelong and The Bellarine remain firmly on planners’ radars for future programs.
As Victoria continues to strengthen its global reputation as a business events destination, participation in AIME ensures our region remains part of that broader narrative.
Business Events Manager Tamie Ryan reflected on AIME 2026, “Events like AIME are incredibly valuable for showcasing Geelong and The Bellarine’s business events offering on the global stage, connecting our region directly with planners and decision-makers from Australia and around the world.”
What Happens Next
The conversations don’t end when the exhibition floor closes.
Our team is now progressing leads generated during AIME, working closely with members to convert interest into confirmed conferences, incentives and events that deliver tangible economic impact for our visitor economy.
We thank our exhibitor partners for their collaboration and commitment, and everyone we connected with throughout the event. We look forward to sharing outcomes as they progress.
