Photo: Lanny Huang for WCE

While the Melbourne World Coffee Championships may still be a few months away, we have some important information for international travelers to consider in their planning, including details on visa applications, invitation letters, customs, hotels, the show venue, and COVID-19.

Visa Applications

International travelers may need to apply for a visa to enter Australia. Our show host, MICE lists many of the relevant visas on the website. It is recommended that you apply for your visa as soon as your travel is arranged, and at least 6-8 weeks prior to departing. Please note: World Coffee Events (WCE) and MICE have no bearing on the issue of visas, and cannot be responsible for applications that are not submitted on time.

 

Invitation Letters

Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, you may require an invitation letter to include along with your application. WCE can issue these directly for volunteers, judges, National Champions/Competitors, and their coaches. For all other parties, these will be issued through MICE. Please read the instructions below for more details.

Participants (Volunteers, Judges, National Champions/Competitors, Coaches)

Once they have successfully completed competitor registration, National Champions and National Competitors can request an invitation letter by emailing the following details to compinfo@wce2.flywheelsites.com.

  • Competition and Competition Body you will represent

  • Scan/photo of your passport page

Judges and volunteers who have completed registration may also email compinfo@wce2.flywheelsites.com. Only coaches that are included in a competitor’s registration may also apply for an invitation letter in this way.

General Attendees & Fans

Once you have purchased a ticket to MICE, you can email a copy of your passport and confirmation of your ticket purchase to event.organiser@primecreative.com.au.

 

Customs

Please be aware that there are some important details around the types of goods that you may bring into Australia. Coffee is permitted into Australia for personal use if it is in one of the following forms:

  • roasted, ground or instant coffee (up to 10 kilograms)

  • roasted coffee beans (up to 10 kilograms)

  • green coffee beans (up to 5 kilograms).

The coffee must be in clean and new packaging and free from live insects and other contamination. The full details are available in this document, which you should review before traveling.

 

Travel & Accommodation

FBI Travel is the travel agent for MICE, who can provide preferential rates on flights and accommodation for attendees. For more information, you can fill out your details here.

 

Venue

The Melbourne World Coffee Championships are hosted at MICE, which takes place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from May 4-7. The MCEC is located in the city-center suburb of South Wharf, about a 30-minute drive from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine). The venue is accessible by public transport including bus (route 237), tram (routes 96 & 109), and several train options. For full details see the transport information on the MICE site.

 

COVID-19

We are working closely with our host partners at MICE to monitor the situation, and to keep up to date with local information. However, the World Coffee Championships will continue as scheduled. We are advising our staff and volunteers in countries where the virus has or may spread to please follow your country’s health advisories regarding travel and gatherings. The SCA will continue to closely monitor updates from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For a complete and up to date list of confirmed locations, please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus.

If you are a competitor or other attendee and have any inquiries about the impacts of the coronavirus on your participation, please email info@wce2.flywheelsites.com.

Health and Hygiene Protocols

To help promote the safety of all attendees, MICE have recommended that everyone onsite, including attendees, exhibitors, competitors, judges, and volunteers, follow health and hygiene protocols, including:

  • washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis, or using hand sanitizer products (these will be available throughout the venue);

  • covering your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze, and using disposable tissues that are thrown away immediately after use;

  • avoiding close contact, such as kissing, hugging or shaking hands;

  • avoiding close contact with individuals who are visibly unwell.

If you are well, there is no need to wear a face mask in public.

 

EDIT – March 2, 7:00 PM GMT

This post has been updated with the latest advice about the coronavirus.

EDIT – February 11, 11:00 AM GMT

The details on the amount of roasted and green coffee have been updated to match the guidelines listed by the Australian Department of Agriculture.