Our world of constant abbreviation has given rise to the relentless use of acronyms. Designed to make our life simpler, easier and more time-efficient, we often find ourselves wondering what the hell they mean.

But never fear: MEA (Meetings and Events Australia) has taken heed of our daily frustration and proceeded to provide us with a handy acronym list that includes everything on the events industry spectrum. From general examples such as BE for business events and ABS for the Australian bureau of Statistics,  right down to the very specific TSVCB (The Townsville Convention Bureau).

Acronyms

• AACB Inc   Association of Australian Convention Bureaux
• AACVB      Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaux
• ABEE     Australian Business Events Expo (this has been renamed to Inspirex)
• ABS       Australian Bureau of Statistics
• ACC        Adelaide Convention Centre
• ACTA     Adelaide Convention & Tourism Authority
• AEEC      Adelaide Event & Exhibition Centre
• AFMEA     Associate-Fellow of Meetings & Events Australia
• AHA       Australian Hotel Association
• AIME     AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (Melbourne)
• AIMM    Accredited In-House Meetings Manager
• AMM     Accredited Meetings Manager
• ASCC     Alice Springs Convention Centre
• BE           Business Events
• BEA        Business Events Australia
• BECA     Business Events Council of Australia
• BCEC      Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
• BESydney    Business Events Sydney
• BM         Brisbane Marketing
• CCB        Canberra Convention Bureau
• CCC        Cairns Convention Centre
• CINZ      Conferences & Incentives New Zealand
• CRCB     Cairns & Region Convention Bureau
• CVB        Convention and Visitors Bureau
• DCC        Darwin Convention Centre
• DMC      Destination Management Company
• EEAA     Exhibition & Event Association of Australia
• EIBTM   European Incentive Business Travel & Meetings
• GCCEC   Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
• GCT        Gold Coast Tourism
• HKTB     Hong Kong Tourism Board
• IACVB   International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaux
• IAPCO   International Association of Professional Congress Organisers
• ICCA      International Congress and Conference Association
• IMEX      The Worldwide Exhibition for Incentive Travel & Meetings & Events
• ISES        International Special Events Society
• IT&CMA   Incentive Travel and Conventions Meeting Asia
• IT&ME   Incentive Travel & Meetings Expo
• ITO         Inbound Tour Operator
• MEA       Meetings & Events Australia
• MCEC    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
• MCVB    Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau
• MIAA     Meetings Industry Association of Australia (trading as MEA)
• MPI        Meeting Planners International
• NCC / NCCC   National Convention Centre, Canberra
• NTCB     Northern Territory Convention Bureau
• NVCB    Newcastle Visitor & Convention Bureau
• PCB        Perth Convention Bureau
• PCEC      Perth Convention Exhibition Centre
• PCO       Professional Conference Organiser
• PD          Professional Development
• RSVP     RSVP Trade Show Sydney & Melbourne
• RTO        Registered Training Organisation
• SATC      South Australian Tourism Commission
• SATIC    South Australian Tourism Industry Council
• SCCB      Sunshine Coast Convention Bureau
• SCEC      Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre
• SHFA     Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
• SITE        Society of Incentive & Travel Executives
• SOPA     Sydney Olympic Park Authority
• TA           Tourism Australia
• TABEE   Team Australia Business Events Educational
• TCB        Tasmanian Convention Bureau
• TNQ       Tourism North Queensland
• TRA        Tourism Research Australia
• TSVCB   Townsville Convention Bureau
• TW         Tourism Whitsundays Conventions Bureau

For a full list of acronyms, download the pdf here.