At the conclusion of Dreamtime 2023 in Adelaide, it was announced Cairns would be the host city for Australia’s next incentive showcase in September 2024. It was also confirmed the event, starting with next year’s showcase, will now be called ‘Australia Next’ to align with Business Events Australia’s bespoke magazine for incentive planners.
Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, said to help fast track the Australian business events industry’s recovery, international incentive planners will be hosted in Australia in consecutive years, with the showcase returning to every two years after 2025.
“After having the event on hold for four years we are so pleased Dreamtime has returned in 2023, giving us the opportunity to welcome international business events planners and media back to Australia,” Ms Harrison said.
“The event in Adelaide, and the program of familiarisations around the country, have provided the visiting qualified buyers and media the chance to see first-hand some of the new product which has come online over the past few years.”
“We know there is so much more for the international buyers to see around the country, so it is great our signature business events showcase will return once again in 2024 with ‘Australia Next’ to be held in Cairns.”
“The leads generated from Dreamtime in Adelaide this year and Australia Next in the future will drive real business outcomes, which will play a more important role than ever before as we rebuild a strong pipeline of international business events.”
Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial & Business Events Australia, Robin Mack, said the signature business events showcase will be crucial to get the Australian business events industry back to where it was in 2019.
“The return of Dreamtime in Adelaide this year and Australia Next in the future will help the business events industry to once again attract more than a million visitors a year to our country, contributing $4.5 billion,” Mr Mack said.
“We thank our host partner Business Events Adelaide for making sure the first Dreamtime in four years was one to remember and we look forward to working with Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef to make Australia Next in 2024 just as memorable.”
Speaking about next year’s event, Tourism Tropical North Queensland said it was proud to be the host partner for Australia Next in 2024 in Cairns, with support from Tourism and Events Queensland.
“We look forward to showcasing our natural assets, first nations culture, and unique offsite venues to incentive buyers from around the world where they will connect with our locals to create great incentive programs,” said Mark Olsen Tourism, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the domestic and international convention market was big business for the State’s world-class visitor destinations.
“Queensland’s popularity as a corporate events and convention destination is booming with business travel growing 77 per cent to a record $4.7 billion in the last year,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“With a runway to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Queensland brings together a perfect mix of business and leisure for building and accelerating industry partnerships and knowhow.
“The possibilities for Australia Next in 2024 and Cairns are endless.”
Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the Cairns Convention Centre had recently completed a significant expansion.
“The Palaszczuk Government has invested $176 million in an impressive extension and renovation of the Cairns Convention Centre to help events like Australia Next in 2024 really shine,” Mr Healy said.
“With iconic visitor and cultural experiences, international-standard accommodation and an extraordinary lifestyle, we’re working with Tourism Australia to build an even stronger pipeline of business events in Tropical North Queensland.”
* Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
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