By Annette Shailer
The Hospitality and Gaming Australasia (HGA) expo and conference kicked off on Wednesday at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
The two-day event showcased the new products and services of around 300 exhibitors with the conference component providing keynote speakers.
National Hotel and Gaming Group director, Peter Thompson, echoed positive feedback from the show, seen by many as the best for years.
“It was very interesting. I went to the one in Sydney and last year’s show in Brisbane but this was better than those,” Thompson said. “There was a lot more security information this year. Advancements like security cameras linked up with till systems are great to see.”
HGA event manager, Adam Wilson, said there had been a 15 per cent increase in pre-registration and numbers through the door had also been impressive.
“There’s a good vibe in there, it’s really positive. It will take a few months to see the full results as it’s hard with clubs, for example, to buy at the stalls because they have to go back to consult with their committee,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s sentiment were echoed by BluFi group general manager, Barry Shuttleworth, who promoted BluFi’s latest digital media element at the show.
“It will take about a three-month cycle to know exactly how effective this show has been. We’ve had 40 enquiries so far today. But how many of those will actually eventuate, we don’t know,” Shuttleworth said.
The HGA expo and conference also held an industry cocktail night on Wednesday at Sea World featuring a silent auction with proceeds donated to the Royal Brisbane Children’s Hospital Foundation.
The expo coincides with Clubs Queensland Golf Day today and Queensland’s Club Achievement Awards Gala Dinner tomorrow night.