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September 2024

BUSINESS EVENTS AUSTRALIA UPDATE

Welcome to the Business Events Australia industry newsletter with the latest updates on Tourism Australia’s marketing and distribution activities to drive demand and support Australia’s business events industry.

We’re always keen to hear what’s happening across Australia so please continue to share your news and updates and contact us with any questions.

LATEST NEWS

AUSTRALIA NEXT 2024

Key international business events buyers will visit Cairns / Gimuy this month for Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase event, Australia Next 2024. Delivered in partnership with Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Australia Next Cairns 2024 (previously known as Dreamtime) is designed to increase awareness of Australia as an outstanding destination for international business events to reward and motivate high achievers. Cairns will host 80 business events buyers, 15 media and 96 Australian industry sellers at the event.

Taking place in Cairns from Sunday 8 September through to Wednesday 11 September 2024, the incentive showcase will provide the business events industry from the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region and across Australia with the opportunity to engage with qualified buyers from North America, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, South Korea and Japan.

Prior to and following the Australia Next showcase in Cairns, buyers and international media will join familiarisation trips in key incentive destinations across Australia in partnership with Australian convention bureau and airline partners Singapore Airlines and Qantas. Destinations they will visit include Port Douglas, Brisbane/ Meanjin or the Gold Coast, plus interstate to Sydney / Warrane, Melbourne / Narrm, Perth / Boorloo, Adelaide / Tarntanya or Canberra.

AUSTRALIA NEXT MAGAZINE

The latest edition of Australia Next, an inspirational magazine tailored for incentive business events planners launched in August. The magazine, which forms part of Tourism Australia’s business events marketing strategy to inspire and drive awareness of Australia’s business events offering, is shared directly with our target customers and promoted across trade media and paid social activity in South-South East Asia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and North America. In this edition, business events planners can gain insights from an expert on sustainability in venues, get tips from a local on where to go in Perth / Boorloo and explore Hobart / nipaluna and Bruny Island in a three-day program pitch. Contact the Business Events Australia team to share your news and updates for potential inclusions in future editions.

ADVANCE PROGRAM

Tourism Australia partnered with 27 Australian industry for the Advance Program for 2023/24, delivering marketing and distribution projects which focused on driving demand for international business events. To date, 23 supported marketing and distribution projects generated 561 international business leads worth A$497 million. Whilst four delegate boosting event promotion activities delivered 1,756 international delegates to Australia, worth A$6.7 million.

Tourism Australia has confirmed 37 partnership projects for the Advance Program in 2024/25.

ASIAN MARKET ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS

The business events team in China recently held Business Event Australia Seminars in Changsha and Chengdu. Five Australian convention bureaux joined the Changsha event on 30 July and had the opportunity to provide an update to more than 70 business events agents. Whilst six convention bureaux joined the Seminar on 1 August in Chengdu, which was also attended by 70 agents. In total, the events generated 18 business leads for Australia with group sizes ranging from 50 to 1,000 people. Key insights included business events agents are positive about future business and there are potential opportunities for Australia with big incentive groups from the manufacturing, direct selling, and the beauty industry.