A Queensland convention centre is celebrating three decades of business events and $1.67 billion economic impact for its region. Economic impact data released by Cairns Convention Centre to mark its 30th anniversary shows how the venue has helped transform Cairns from a sleepy seasonal Tropical North Queensland tourism destination into a globally recognised business events hub. The centre has attracted national and international conferences once reserved for Australia’s capital cities, welcoming three million delegates across more than 2500 conferences and events, generating 2.9 million room nights and delivering $1.67 billion to the Tropical North Queensland economy. “Thirty years ago, backing a world-class convention centre in regional Australia was considered a bold gamble,” says Janet Hamilton, general manager, Cairns Convention Centre. Peter Loxton, chief operating officer, Asia Pacific and Middle East, for Legends Global, which operates and manages Cairns Convention Centre, says the venue has delivered lasting economic and social benefits to Cairns and Tropical North Queensland.