Adelaide’s reputation as one of Australia’s leading business events destinations is paying off, with conferences, exhibitions and industry gatherings generating a huge $314 million for South Australia’s economy over the past year.
New figures reveal that the Adelaide Convention Centre hosted 125 business events across the last 12 months, including 78 major national and international conferences and exhibitions, attracting more than 62,000 interstate and overseas visitors to the city.
Those visitors didn’t just fill conference halls. They booked hotel rooms, dined at local restaurants, caught taxis and rideshares, shopped in the CBD and explored South Australia’s regions, contributing 162,478 room nights across the state.
The result highlights the growing importance of business tourism as a key driver of South Australia’s visitor economy, particularly outside traditional holiday periods.
Among the standout events was the 2026 Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), Australia’s largest tourism trade event, which set a new attendance record in Adelaide. The event welcomed 2,700 delegates, including 730 international buyers and travel agents from 32 countries.
The benefits extended well beyond the city, with more than 80 touring experiences taking delegates into regional South Australia, showcasing destinations including the Barossa, Kangaroo Island, the Flinders Ranges, Port Lincoln, Coffin Bay and the Coorong.
Other major conferences included the Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition, which attracted 1,000 delegates, and Hort Connections 2026, one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest horticultural industry events. Hort Connections drew nearly 4,000 delegates and featured a record 432 exhibitor booths.
“South Australia’s reputation as one of the world’s leading business events destinations continues to grow and the flow-on effect for the state’s economy is far-reaching,” said Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke.
“When people come to Adelaide for a business event, they don’t just go to the event, it means bookings for local hotels and restaurants, it means business for local cafes, shops and transport companies.
“As part of the Australian Tourism Exchange, there were over 80 tours taking visitors out to our regions showcasing our unique tourism offerings, including to Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, Coffin Bay, the Coorong, the Flinders Ranges, the Barossa Valley and many more.”
The momentum is expected to continue, with 79 major business events already confirmed for the next financial year.
Among the headline events on the horizon are LambEx 2026, which will bring more than 1,100 delegates from Australia’s sheep and red meat industries to Adelaide, and the Australian Medical Students’ Association National Conference, expected to attract around 1,000 future healthcare professionals.
International conference Inter-Noise 2026 and the Wounds Australia Conference are also scheduled for August, alongside a packed calendar featuring the National Rural Health Conference, the Reconciliation Australia RAP Conference, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Annual Conference and the Australian Archaeological Association Annual Conference.
Business Events Adelaide CEO Damien Kitto said, “Importantly, we are continuing to see strong strategic alignment between Adelaide’s business events offering and South Australia’s economic strengths, which reinforces the city’s position as a world-class destination for major national and international conferences.
“The results mean Business Events Adelaide continues to deliver high-value business events that generate immediate economic benefit and longer-term opportunities for members.”
Adelaide Venue Management CEO Martin Radcliffe added, “Every event we secure enhances South Australia’s appeal to investors and brings global expertise that strengthens our key industry sectors.
“This sustained success is delivering immediate benefits to our visitor economy, while also reinforcing South Australia’s position for long-term growth and opportunity.”
With another strong year of bookings already locked in, Adelaide’s conference calendar is proving to be far more than a collection of meetings and exhibitions. It’s becoming a major contributor to year-round tourism, helping fill hotel rooms, support local businesses and showcase South Australia to thousands of influential visitors from around the globe.
