Welcome to our weekly wrap-up of MICE News, which covers meetings, incentives, conferences, and events across Australia and around the world. If you are in the MICE industry, this is what you need to know as our writers stay on top of the latest developments.
If you have any MICE news, please send it to editor@travelmonitor.com.au
Darwin Festival announces biggest ever ‘Taste Of Darwin’ foodie program
This year’s Darwin Festival (7–24 August) will feature its biggest Taste of Darwin program ever, the return of legendary NT chef Jimmy Shu’s Hanuman restaurant after four years, and the festival debut of the city’s hottest new eatery, Flora’s Temper Mexicantina.
The Festival’s much-loved Taste of Darwin program will double in size to feature six events, with two announced today: a City Cocktail Experience, where guests can choose between a glitzy 1920s-style bar hop or a wild Tropical bar adventure; and a Gloom and Gourmet Dinner, a deliciously dark feast that transforms Parap Fine Foods into a red-lit, moody banquet hall complete with roving performers belting out eerie murder ballads.
Meet Hawaiʻi Aloha Mission returns to Australia and New Zealand in June 2025
Meet Hawaiʻi’s highly anticipated Aloha Mission returns to Australia and New Zealand 2-9 June 2025, reaffirming Hawaiʻi’s position as a premier destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE).
The mission will provide Australian and New Zealand business event planners an exclusive opportunity to connect with 12 leading MICE partners from Hawaiʻi. Spearheading the delegation are Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau President & CEO, Dr. Aaron J. Salā, and Meet Hawaiʻi Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Lynn Whitehead.
Business event professionals in Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland will have the opportunity to engage with the delegation through pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings, networking events, and an interactive Q&A session. Attendees will receive the latest insights on Hawaiʻi’s hotels, venues, cultural experiences, corporate social responsibility programs, and unique group activities.
Invitations will be sent out shortly. With limited availability, meeting planners are encouraged to register early to secure their spot. For more information or to secure a meeting, contact Oceania Country Director Kris Phadungkiatipong at kphadung@meethawaii.com
Australia Next Magazine
In case you missed it, the latest edition of Australia Next magazine is out now. Hosted on the Business Events Australia website, planners can easily read the inspiring content, search the magazine and re-package the content directly into presentations. Whilst the platform has changed, the familiar style of the magazine hasn’t. Planners will still find bite-sized, insightful content featuring new product and experiences to help them plan their next program in Australia.
Minor Hotels Launches MICE Campaign with Corporate Early Bird Deals to Elevate Corporate Events Across Australia and New Zealand
Minor Hotels has introduced its latest MICE campaign to address the evolving needs of corporate event organisers by providing an efficient booking process, as well as Corporate Early Bird Deals, to add even more value to the experience.
With corporate bookings increasingly shifting to shorter lead times and clients opting for direct bookings with venues, the new campaign is tailored for companies seeking flexibility, convenience, and high-quality execution for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events. Some of its key features are a live booking tool for instant reservations and a dedicated events team to deliver a seamless planning process.
The campaign is being rolled out across Minor Hotels’ key regions – Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East – allowing planners to receive consistent value-added benefits and seamless booking experiences across the entire Minor Hotels portfolio.
For more information on Minor Hotels’ MICE offerings and to secure the Corporate Early Bird Deals, visit: https://www.oakshotels.com/en/meetings-events
Accor Celebrates the Success of the 2025 Pacific Franchise Conference
Accor, the largest hotel operator in the Pacific, successfully concluded its 2025 Pacific Franchise Conference, bringing together franchise partners, hotel general managers, industry leaders, and Accor executives for two days of insightful discussions, networking, and strategic presentations.
Hosted at Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments, the event reinforced Accor’s commitment to franchise growth and value-driven partnerships in Australia and New Zealand. The conference, which ran from 25-27 March 2025, featured a dynamic agenda covering industry performance insights, commercial strategies, investment opportunities, and operational excellence. Delegates gained exclusive insights into the evolving hotel landscape, with panel discussions and workshops addressing market-leading performance, loyalty, and sustainability.
Duncan O’Rourke, Chief Executive Officer for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy Division in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, opened the event alongside Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy division in the Pacific, highlighting Accor’s franchise growth strategy and the Group’s ongoing commitment to innovation and partnership.
The Meetings Show Asia Pacific 2025
The Meetings Show Asia Pacific (TMS APAC) 2025 is set to return bigger than ever, with record exhibitor and buyer participation, making it one of the largest international gatherings of MICE and business travel professionals in Asia Pacific. Taking place on 16–17 April at Marina Bay Sands, the event is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and will welcome key industry leaders, including STB’s Assistant Chief Executive, Ms Huey Hong Ong, alongside global experts such as Dr. Jerome Joseph (Global Brand Academy), Sha-En Yeo (Happiness Scientists), and Guy Bigwood (Global Destinations Sustainability Movement), among other distinguished guests and speakers. TMS APAC, which debuted successfully in Asia Pacific last year, returns alongside the Business Travel Show APAC (BTS APAC), co-located to create one of the largest gatherings of MICE and business travel professionals in the region.
