 Melbourne trams and the Yarra River have been rated the top ‘icons for
Melbourne, Australia’ by domestic and international convention delegates.
The findings are part of the Melbourne Delegate Study 2004, commissioned
by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and the Melbourne
Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC).
 Domestic convention delegates voted Melbourne trams as the top icon for
Melbourne followed by Southbank, the Yarra River, Federation Square and the
Melbourne Cricket Ground. International convention delegates favoured the
Yarra River, followed by Melbourne trams, Federation Square and the
Botanical Gardens.
“Melburnians have always argued about what is Melbourne’s best icon.
International delegates favour the Yarra River, which is not surprising as
our main convention and exhibition facilities and many of our hotels and
restaurants surround the river. These findings add to the debate and
highlight the differences between Australian perceptions and international
perceptions,” said Garry Kingshott, CEO, MCVB.
The study also found that 71% of convention delegates chose Melbourne’s
famous trams as their primary means of transport around the CBD. Delegates
commented that the City Circle Tram service was both an attractive and
effective means of traveling around the city.
“Melbourne trams are unique in Australia and help to identify and promote
Melbourne both domestically and internationally. Our study found that
delegates were satisfied with the transport system in Melbourne and that
‘getting around Melbourne was easy’. These two factors are extremely
important when it comes to attracting business tourists to Melbourne,” Mr
Kingshott said.
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