Whitsunday operators fly the flag at Australian Tourism Exchange

The Whitsundays are on show this week as operators fly the flag for the region at Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event.

The Australian Tourism Exchange brings together Australian tourism businesses and tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world.

Through a combination of scheduled business appointments and networking events, tourism operators can showcase their products, and the region, to about 700 key buyers from more than 30 countries - the people who are directly in touch with the customers.

This year, 13 Whitsunday tourism operators have joined Tourism Whitsundays at ATE 2018, in Adelaide, the biggest Whitsundays contingent to ever attend the exchange.

The event also provides international travel buyers with the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism offering first-hand, through pre and post-ATE familiarisations. The Whitsundays have already hosted a pre-ATE China trade famil, with top executives from 10 of China’s biggest travel companies visiting the region from April 10 to 13.

Tourism Whitsundays General Manager Tash Wheeler said the annual Australian Tourism Exchange was the premier trade event and was a very cost-effective way to meet face-to-face with about 700 key international wholesale and retail buyers all in one place.

“It really is the premier event of its kind and a great opportunity to showcase the Whitsundays and our excellent tourism product to buyers,” she said.

“With customised appointment schedules and networking opportunities on and off the trade show floor, there are so many touch points to really spread the Whitsundays’ message.

“It is great to have so many Whitsunday operators attend and especially those who have not attended before, who are learning a lot from our more seasoned ATE operators.”

The Whitsunday operators attending ATE 2018 are Daydream Island, Hamilton Island, Cruise Whitsundays, Explore Group, Explore Whitsundays, Coral Sea Resort, Mirage Whitsundays, Whitsunday Sailing Adventures, GSL Aviation, the Airlie Beach Hotel, Air Whitsunday Seaplanes, At Hotel Group and Lady Enid Sailing.

Trent Brown from GSL Aviation said it was the third ATE he had attended and it was always very worthwhile.

“To have more than 700 buyers in one place, all at once, is fantastic and gives us an opportunity to get our message out there in more than 30 countries, without actually leaving Australia,” he said.

“It is great to be a part of the Whitsundays team - we are all working together and promoting the region, as well as our individual products – and we have had great feedback from the buyers about the region, who are hungry for information.”

Organised by Tourism Australia in partnership with the South Australian Tourism Commission, ATE18 is taking place at the Adelaide Convention Centre from April 15 to 19.

The four days of scheduled appointments with buyers are complemented by networking opportunities and events that showcase Australia and give buyers and sellers further face-to-face meeting time in a relaxed social setting.

For more information about attending next year’s Australian Tourism Exchange please email Tash Wheeler at Tash.Wheeler@tourismwhitsundays.com.au