AIDS conference 'delivers $80m to Vic'

The AIDS conference held in Melbourne delivered $80 million to the state's economy and attracted 14,000 delegates.

The 20th International AIDS Conference held in July was the biggest medical event ever held in Australia.

It attracted high level speakers, including former US president Bill Clinton and artist and activist Bob Geldof.

"The convention centre is the only Australian venue that was capable of hosting AIDS 2014 due to its size and infrastructure," said Melbourne Convention Bureau chief executive Karen Bolinger.

"They used every square inch of it, 633,000 square metres."

Ms Bolinger said one of the reasons Melbourne was chosen by the International AIDS Society to host the biannual event was due to the strength of the city's scientific community.

"There is some really good expertise in HIV research here and that meant the conference organisers could attract some pre-eminent speakers and create really good content."

Visitor spending while in Melbourne - such as food, hotels, retail shopping, tickets to attractions and transport - was estimated at $80 million.

"In our world we call it room nights, it's 63,000 room nights, it's like filling the Crown Metropol, Melbourne's largest hotel, 96 times."

Beyond economic benefits, hosting a medical conference helps raise the profile of the city, she said.

"It's about job creation, skills boost for the local workforce, trade and investment opportunities, and it's about driving Melbourne's knowledge economy."

South Africa's port city of Durban will host the 21st International AIDS Conference in 2016.

*Disclosure: The writer travelled to the International AIDS Conference as a guest of the Melbourne Convention Bureau.