Government secures global sporting convention for the Gold Coast

The world’s leading and most exclusive sports convention will be held on the Gold Coast in 2019.

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones announced today that the SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in May 2019.

“This event will bring more than 1500 sporting leaders from up to 100 countries to the Gold Coast,” she said.

“These delegates will represent 500 different international businesses, sports federations and rights holders.

“This is about bringing the biggest names in international sport to the Gold Coast to secure more events for the Coast and Queensland.

“SportAccord is the most significant meeting of international sport representatives held every year and securing it for the Gold Coast will help to stamp the city’s reputation as a world-class event destination.

Ms Jones said the Commonwealth Games demonstrated Queensland’s ability to host large scale, international sporting events and left a lasting legacy of new and upgraded venues and infrastructure.

“SportAccord is a great legacy of the Commonwealth Games. We wouldn’t be able to secure the world’s leading sports conference without the Games,” she said.

“Today’s announcement follows our attendance at the 2018 SportAccord event in Bangkok immediately after the Games - providing an opportunity to engage with sporting codes, federations and sports representatives about opportunities in Queensland.

“Bringing those representatives to the Gold Coast is the next step in securing major international events for the city and our state, with the benefits of securing events potentially setting us up over the next ten years.

“We’re working hard to make the most of the Commonwealth Games to ensure this event continues to deliver a great legacy for Queensland.”

Assistant Tourism Industry Development Minister and Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said securing SportAccord was a win for the Gold Coast.

“This is the ultimate Commonwealth Games legacy event.

“We will have the most important people in world sport in the same room, making deals on the Gold Coast.

“SportAccord will also generate more than $6 million and 10,000 visitor nights for the local economy.

“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to investing in tourism on the Gold Coast.

“We’re working hard to capitalise on the success of the Commonwealth Games to secure more major events for our city.”

SportAccord was secured for the Gold Coast through a partnership between Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Australia, Gold Coast City Council and Destination Gold Coast.

Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said the bid win had been secured with the support of TA’s new Business Events Bid Fund.

“Australia’s reputation as a premier events destination continues to grow with the securing of a major international event with the stature of SportAccord,” he said.

“It’s great to see all levels of government providing such strong support for our business events industry, a sector which delivers such strong economic return for our visitor economy.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the city was the perfect host for the major international convention.

“This is a great demonstration of the partnership we have built with the State over the past years,” he said.

“Having SportAccord in our city will turbo charge the opportunities for the Gold Coast to further activate our sporting arenas, as well as our sports science and training facilities.

“This is post-Games legacy in action and I can’t wait to welcome SportAccord.”

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said the international convention was a coup for the city, and would once again showcase the Gold Coast on a global stage.

“The calibre of the SportAccord delegation is second to none and brings with it further opportunity for the Gold Coast to continue to go from strength-to-strength in our ability to attract and deliver world-class business events,” she said.

“Destination Gold Coast has been pursuing sports-related business events for some time now, and along with the city’s credentials and infrastructure developments, the collaboration between the State Government, the City of Gold Coast, Tourism Australia, and Tourism and Events Queensland on numerous ventures has been phenomenal.”


SportAccord president Patrick Baumann said the success of the Commonwealth Games played a major part in securing the event for the Gold Coast.

“The 17^th edition of SportAccord will be a special one, as it will help mark the one-year anniversary of the delivery of a successful Commonwealth Games and will provide the chance for our delegates to embrace all the qualities and opportunities the Gold Coast and Queensland has to offer.”

SportAccord will be held on the Gold Coast from May 5-10, 2019.

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