Smithson: Who’s bedding down Plan B if global climate conference bid fails?
Adelaide hotels are blocking out all available rooms for November 2026 with high hopes of cashing in on the rich and famous for COP31. But Mike Smithson fears tourism chiefs have no plan B if the bid doesn’t check out.
Hosting the world’s most prominent climate conference in November next year would be a global coup which the Premier can’t resist.
He won’t have long to wait for a decision which is due in Brazil within days.
The United Nations COP31 would add to his list of achievements lifting the sometimes-forgotten city of Adelaide onto the next level of places to remember.
Given the enormity of the project and the economic benefits it would generate, you would expect our most senior tourism commission officials to be across every grain of minutiae.
But they’re not, and that’s where it gets interesting.
Midas Mali appeared to have landed the big fish when the Prime Minister announced Adelaide as Australia’s host city during a fleeting but significant election campaign announcement earlier this year.
The only global competition was, and still is, Turkiye which may be fancied by some but poses an obvious issue of political instability to most others.
Having world delegates descend on Adelaide almost seemed a formality six months ago, but unless Turkiye backs out of the race, neither of us will get it this time around and it will be held in Bonn, Germany.
With up to 50,000 dignitaries and world leaders, including royalty, tipped to make the trip down under, Adelaide hotel rooms will be scarce during the conference.
It presents a financial bonanza for the entire state, during and after the event, as the Premier and many others keep telling us.
So, it was timely that officials from the SA Tourism Commission appeared at parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee yesterday to explain our financial exposure should COP31 pass us by.
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The committee was informed that most hotels have virtually blocked out all available rooms for November 2026 as they wait to cash in on the rich and famous.
But who and what will fill the void if Adelaide is left empty handed?
Have major conference halls and function rooms already been booked, effectively ruling out any other major conferences during that period?
What events or conferences have already been rejected to chase COP31 and is it too late to get them back?
Other pertinent questions included, is there a plan-B if COP falls through?
And is there any insurance taken out if premium hospitality revenue goes down the gurgler?
These are background questions most of us haven’t even considered in trying to land the elusive climate conference grand prize.
SATC chief executive Emma Terry appeared unprepared as the avalanche of questions cascaded at the hearing.
She repeatedly told the committee that SATC wasn’t the lead government agency in coordinating or organising COP, so therefore don’t ask her.
Fair enough, but who is?
The Premier’s office says it’s a Commonwealth gig, so ask them.
Anyone who’s organised a conference or even a wedding knows that a year can be a short time frame for locking in venues or accommodation for guests.
But did my brief exchange with Ms Terry after the hearing put minds at rest with thousands of hotel rooms potentially being vacant if COP is a no-show?
“Look we’re still a long way out from November next year,” she said.
“What we see with occupancy is very low bookings 12 months in advance.”
So, no problems at all?
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“I think we’ll be able to support our industry and fill those rooms,” she said.
The obvious question: what with?
The equally obvious answer: “visitors, we’re seeing a lot of visitation and bookings are happening much later, and we are 12 months out.”
But in cash strapped times it might not be as simple as hoping visitors will suddenly appear over the Adelaide horizon and fill all these potentially vacant room nights.
Committee members weren’t convinced either.
“It seems to me that all the power here is being concentrated in the Premier’s department and the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing,” according to Greens leader Robert Simms.
“Surely tourism should know what’s going on.”
The Liberals were equally confused by the lack of lateral thinking in this crucial COP space.
“There could be up to 50,000 people here in South Australia and the head of the SA Tourism Commission couldn’t answer basic questions around the number of beds we have here in South Australia,” Heidi Girolamo said.
“We know when (AFL) Gather Round was here it was around 10,000 beds that were filled so that leaves around 40,000 potential people without accommodation.
“So, what we know at the moment is that there is about a 50-50 chance that this is going ahead, but also it was very clear that there doesn’t seem to be a plan-B.”
The Premier still lives in hope, but that optimism could be fading fast.
Peter Malinauskas admits that “it’s not a done deal until it’s a done deal”.
He says he won’t make personal representation to COP30 next week in Brazil unless he can make a difference.
Such a trip would be heavily questioned in terms of cost and time away if the Premier came back empty handed.
The Prime Minister is singing from the same hymn sheet.
If they both jump on last minute flights, courtesy of the taxpayer, there’s a fair chance they’ve been given a wink and a nod that the conference is ours and, therefore, happy days.
That’s when the hard work would really begin.
Mike Smithson is weekend presenter and political analyst for 7News
