Between June and August, strong delegate attendance, interstate visitation and international participation have bolstered the city’s reputation as a leading choice for business events and corporate incentives in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
The city’s first major winter event was HORT Connections, which returned to Adelaide for the second time in three years and drove more than $20 million in economic impact. Held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, the conference utilised 12,000 square metres of exhibition space and welcomed more than 3,900 delegates and over 220 exhibitors.
July saw the arrival of LambEx2026, a key event for Australia’s red meat and sheep industry, which attracted over 1,450 delegates – the largest attendance in the conference’s history – followed by the Australian Medical Students’ Association National Conference, which gathered more than 800 of the next generation of medical professionals.
Inter-Noise 2026, a leading international congress and exposition on noise control engineering and acoustics, brought 928 delegates to Adelaide in August, whilst the biennial Wounds Australia Conference 2026 delivered almost 1,000 visitors in the same month.
Business Events Adelaide Chief Executive Officer Damien Kitto said, “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 credible, high-value destination for national and international business events.”
“To have those five business events combine to contribute more than $44 million to the South Australian economy is significant,” Mr Kitto continued, “but it is also encouraging when we look at the bigger picture and reflect on the wide variety of business events – in terms of both scope and industry strengths – that we have welcomed to the state throughout winter.”
“It is certainly a promising time for our members, who are reaping the rewards of a packed calendar, and it fills us with confidence to see this high level of success in our off-peak season. Evidently, organisers are recognising what we have always known—that even in the ‘off season’, Adelaide is a beautiful, experience-rich business events destination. Our typically mild winter temperatures and low rainfall make it an ideal time for delegates to enjoy a relaxed change of pace as they explore the state, from cosy wine region visits to bespoke nature and wildlife encounters.”
The season has also been prosperous in terms of industry engagement. HORT Connections fostered direct interactions between the industry and Adelaide University, notably through the world-renowned Waite Campus. Adelaide University researchers presented at the event, and the Waite Research Institute hosted a dedicated tour for delegates, which helped to grow Adelaide’s reputation as a centre for agricultural research, innovation and industry collaboration.
“Our upcoming schedule shows no signs of slowing down,” said Mr Kitto. “That said, the vast range of outstanding venues, experiences and suppliers in South Australia means that there is always room for more!”
Meanwhile, LambEx2026 strengthened relationships with Livestock SA and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, which created opportunities for local producers, industry bodies, government representatives and businesses to engage with delegates.
A key example was the introduction of ‘LambEx On Tour’, a program which enabled more than 300 delegates to travel across the state and form direct connections with South Australian producers, processors, agribusinesses, researchers, manufacturers, and food and beverage businesses, extending LambEx2026’s economic benefit into regional communities.
Business Events Adelaide now turns towards an equally busy spring season, as the organisation continues to deliver high-value business events that generate immediate economic impact and longer-term benefits for South Australia, including the coveted Undersea Technology Summit, which will bring 2,000 global delegates to Adelaide in November.
Learn more about Business Events Adelaide here.
