New data from national C&E business Discovery Conferences and Events shows the recovery of Australia’s events industry is gathering pace, led by strong forward bookings for weddings and a return of large corporate and multi-day events.

Discovery Conferences and Events, a dedicated national events business that was launched earlier this year by Australia’s largest regional accommodation provider, the G’day Group, has seen a strong uplift in demand across its portfolio.

Forecasts for the year ahead show wedding bookings up 48% on the 2021-22 financial year and larger corporate events up by around 40%. With its event venues offering co-located accommodation, Discovery Conferences and Events has also seen a 40% uplift in room nights booked as part of corporate events as businesses increase their focus on multi-day gatherings to help their staff reconnect and rebuild team culture.

Discovery Conferences and Events General Manager Victoria Fox said that the increased demand for weddings and large corporate events demonstrated that confidence is returning to the C&E sector.

“While we saw the green shoots of an event industry recovery begin to emerge during the past financial year, the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 meant there was a hesitancy among our customers to book big corporate events and weddings,” she said.

“However, our pipeline of bookings is showing that confidence is returning with huge demand in particular for wedding bookings after so many people had their big day postponed over the past two years.”

“With businesses looking to rebuild team culture, we’re also seeing great interest in event getaways to unique regional destinations right around the country.”

Launched in April 2022, the Discovery Conferences and Events brand brings together unique regional event offerings at a range of properties owned by the G’day Group, including Discovery Kings Canyon, Glen Helen and Rottnest Island, as well as the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre at Discovery Hahndorf Resort and the Victor Harbor Convention Centre at McCracken Country Club.

The company recently launched a dedicated website to provide a more seamless and connected customer experience. Visit: www.discoveryevents.com.au

Media enquiries: Brittany Harmer, Corporate Communications Manager | 0415 655 191, brittany.harmer@discoveryparks.com.au.

About G’day Group

Founded in 2004 with three caravan parks in WA, G’day Group is now Australia’s leader in regional accommodation experiences with more than 340 properties across the country.

G’day Group operates more than 90 holiday parks and resorts under the Discovery Parks and Resorts brand, with properties in iconic regional destinations, including Kings Canyon, Rottnest Island and the world famous El Questro. The Group is also home to G’day Parks, a network of 240+ independently owned, licensed parks and the G’day Rewards loyalty program, which has 260,000 paid members.

Beyond holiday parks and resorts, the Group owns Wikicamps, Australia’s largest regional travel community and the #1 paid app in the App Store with more than 300k monthly active users, as well as Bookeasy, a specialist provider of booking management systems and technology solutions to leading destination management authorities in Australia and New Zealand (operating as BookIt).

G’day Group has property assets valued at $2 billion and is on track to become a $2.5 billion business by 2026. The company is majority owned by Australian Retirement Trust and founder and CEO Grant Wilckens is a Board Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission and former Chair of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia.