CAIRNS has cemented its place as the convention capital of Queensland with everyone from baldness researchers through to atomic physicists meeting here next year.

The Cairns Convention Centre’s 2010 calendar is filling up with several major international and national conferences, which are expected to reap up to $80 million for the local economy.

Among the major conferences heading to Far North are: the Sixth Congress for Hair Research; the 24th International Conference on Statistical Physics; the 22nd International Conference on Atomic Physics; the International Birdstrike Committee Conference; and the Renal Society of Australasia Conference.

It follows an announcement this month that Cairns will host Greenhouse 2011, a major climate change summit in April 2011, at the convention centre.

Cairns Convention Centre general manager Ross Steele (pictured) said centre staff had been working hard to attract events as many as four years in advance.

"It’s a bit like the Olympics. We bid for these against other countries," Mr Steele said.

Events such as the International Conference on Statistical Physics will attract 1000 delegates to Cairns on July 25.

"The level of infrastructure for this level of events is here in Cairns, from the convention centre right through to the hotels and tour operators, through to the options they’ve got for accompanying partners," Mr Steele said.

"It makes it a very attractive destination."

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