Brisbane will swell in April as 2000 medical specialists converge for international congress, bringing a $4 million economic boost when the 21st Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress, co-hosted by the Australian Rheumatology Association will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC). The latest breakthroughs and news in this important field of medicine will be shared directly from Brisbane, with an estimated 350 million people worldwide diagnosed with arthritis (just one area of rheumatology) it is expected to generate much interest.
Brisbane has a standout reputation as a host city, headlined by the highly successful 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit which included 7000 delegates. The Congress meeting in April will be one of the largest meetings events for the city in 2019. The Congress will provide an important global forum for exchange on cutting edge scientific and clinical information, with more than 100 national and international speakers featured over the three-day program. Rheumatologists, physicians, researchers, scientists, clinicians, internists, orthopedic surgeons, clinical immunologists, physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, pediatricians and researchers from allied disciplines make up the delegate mix, with many attendees bringing family members for the stay in Brisbane.
Hayley McLeod, Congress Manager from MCI Australia, said there has been an overwhelming response by delegates to attend the event once Brisbane was announced as the host city. McLeod said the Congress was set to generate an economic impact of almost $4 million for Brisbane and greater Queensland as many delegates were arriving early, or staying after the Congress in Brisbane, or traveling to other areas of Queensland. Australia hosts many research institutes which specifically focus on rheumatic diseases including in Brisbane the Translational Research Institute, the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (Queensland University of Technology), University of Queensland Diamantina Institute to name a few.
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