Destination of the Month - Melbourne | Meetings & Incentive Travel

“This has been one of the greatest days of my life!”

It’s not every fam trip that sees attendees declaring their bliss as they descend through shimmering skyscrapers into a riverside helipad — but then, Melbourne isn’t every destination.

I was in the city for Australia Next, Tourism Australia’s annual incentive showcase, joining dozens of UK, US and APAC buyers. And if the aim was to show planners how the country is powering out of Covid with big-ticket event ambition, Melbourne couldn’t have delivered a clearer message.

Helicopter transfer landing pad

Mornington Peninsula: geothermal calm to creative play

The day began with a hosted breakfast at the newly opened 1 Hotel Melbourne, a 277-room sustainable luxury property fashioned from the heritage-listed Goods Shed No. 5. Then, fuelled by Melbourne’s famously exceptional coffee, we set off for the Mornington Peninsula, just over an hour from the CBD.

The peninsula is a long-standing summer favourite for Melburnians: wineries, art galleries, surf beaches, spas and rolling pasture. First stop was Peninsula Hot Springs, a serene network of more than 70 geothermal bathing and wellness experiences. Icy plunge pools, hilltop baths, meditation spaces - it was indulgent, calming, and a hugely restorative start to the day.

A short drive away, Pt. Leo Estate Sculpture Park delivered something completely different: 330 acres of dramatic outdoor art overlooking vineyards and the ocean. After tastings in the sunshine, we found ourselves at easels, painting the sculptures in front of us - a surprisingly absorbing and joyous team-bonding activity (helped by the sparkling wine).

Lunch at Pt. Leo’s celebrated restaurant continued the sensory assault: seasonal dishes, local produce, and uninterrupted views of the sculpture park - a masterclass in how to curate incentive-worthy experiences with effortless style.

Next was a hop over to Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, a refined 40-room estate surrounded by vineyards and manicured gardens, ideal for executive retreats or incentive buyouts.

A peaceful tasting turned to excited murmuring when three helicopters were spotted on the hill. Minutes later we were airborne, soaring over vineyards, national parks and the bright blue sweep of Port Phillip Bay. It was pure, unexpected drama - exactly the kind of moment incentive planners search the world for.

Which brings us back to that declaration: was it one of the greatest days of my life? It was certainly up there.

(Photo credit: AdobeStock)

Peninsula hot springs

Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill group shot

Melbourne map

Culinary culture

Melbourne’s charms had already begun to sink in earlier in the trip, when we landed via Singapore and immediately joined a This Is Melbourne foodie walking tour.

The city’s story - gold-rush expansion, waves of global migration, its evolution into one of the world’s most harmonious multicultural communities - is written on its plate. Across 140 cultures, its food scene pulls from Indigenous, European and Asian traditions, and the results are thrilling.

We tasted Peruvian pisco sours at Pastuso, exquisite tapas at MoVida, Asian fusion at Lucy Liu’s, and artisan chocolate at Koko Black. It’s the ideal introduction to the laneways, backstreets and hidden corners that make Melbourne one of the world’s great culinary playgrounds.

The business end

The official programme took place at Centrepiece, Melbourne Park’s pillar-free 2,000sqm conference and events venue. Framed by the MCG and Rod Laver Arena - the equivalent of holding an event between Lord’s and Wimbledon - it offers sleek architecture, sustainability credentials and effortless accessibility.

While buyers worked through appointments, media were whisked by boat to Arts Centre Melbourne, the city’s performing arts powerhouse. What followed defies easy description: chaperones who doubled as dancers; a performance on stage at Hamer Hall; a dining table descending from the ceiling; and a sequence of bespoke acts from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the cast of Wicked and duo SXNCELLO - all culminating in a full-ensemble finale to Vanessa Amorosi’s Absolutely Everybody. Excessive? Absolutely. Unforgettable? Completely.

Melbourne foodie walking tour

arts centre melbourne dinner

Booming with choice

Our base was the bold, design-led W Melbourne, whose aesthetic draws inspiration from the city’s laneways and nightlife. The stylish hotel is a standout for business travellers, combining a central location and slick meeting spaces with a vibrant atmosphere.

Hotel development in Melbourne is booming, with 27,000 rooms now in the city centre - meaning competitive prices and huge choice for planners. Recent and upcoming openings include:

Ritz-Carlton Melbourne – luxury tower with sweeping views
1 Hotel Melbourne – sustainable, five-star waterfront property
The Hyde Melbourne – boutique lifestyle hotel in the CBD
Hanover Street Hotel, Southbank – opening soon
Hotel Indigo + Holiday Inn dual property, Bourke Street Mall – ideal for groups of several hundred

From high-end luxury to boutique boltholes and budget-friendly brands, planners can tailor groups of any size or style.

The official view

Julia Swanson, CEO of Melbourne Convention Bureau, says the UK remains one of the city’s most important markets, citing the strong cultural connection and family ties.

“What we offer UK planners is really the best of both worlds: a sophisticated, multicultural, urban city that’s also fun and easy to explore,” she says. “You can create your own adventure here.”

Melbourne’s calendar of major events is also a major magnet:

“We have a lot of visitors for the Australian Open… the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Food and Wine Festival, the Fashion Festival and the Comedy Festival… plus cultural festivals, exhibitions and a thriving theatre district. Melbourne is often chosen as the third global outpost after Broadway in New York and London’s West End.”

The CVB has just launched a new guide Uniquely Melbourne, an inspiration guide for what you can do in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

“Our research showed that planners sometimes don’t realise how many iconic, memorable experiences we offer,” says Swanson. “You can fill five days easily - and for repeat visitors, you can come back a year later and have a completely different trip. That’s the strength of the city: the scale and diversity of our venues, hotels and experiences.”

And for incentives?

“We’re seeing that UK travellers - actually all markets - want almost once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We know the distance is a factor, so if groups are coming this far, they want it to be truly memorable. We help clients design five-day programmes that maximise every moment. For incentive travel, those shared moments are incredibly powerful.”

“Beyond the city, we talk about our ‘compact diversity’ - incredible regional experiences within one to two hours of Melbourne - the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Puffing Billy, heritage towns, and the Great Ocean Road.”

The dream mix

Melbourne is projected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city by the end of the decade - and on this showing, it may already have overtaken many destinations globally when it comes to incentive and events wow-factor.

Whether it’s geothermal pools at sunrise, vineyard-side helicopter flights, theatrical dining or 27,000 hotel rooms of choice, the city excels in delivering moments that groups will talk about for years.

On a fam trip full of surprises, one thing became clear: if you want to give someone “the greatest day of their life”, Melbourne might just be the place to do it.

Who to contact

Melbourne Convention Bureau - UK & Europe
Fiona Chappell & Giles Handford
📞 +44 7423 437867 / +44 7733 661876
📧 [email protected]

How to get there

From the UK: Singapore Airlines flies daily from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Singapore Changi - with multiple frequencies per day.
From Singapore to Melbourne: SIA operates daily non-stop services between Singapore Changi (SIN) and Melbourne (MEL) (around ~7h25m flight time).