More than 410 delegates have converged on Darwin for one of Australias leading inbound tourism conferences, the 2018 Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Meeting Place.
Attracting business events is a key focus of the Territory Labor Governments record $103 million Turbocharging Tourism stimulus package which is bringing more visitors, creating jobs and putting more money into the pockets of Territorians.
Minister for Tourism and Culture Lauren Moss said the 2018 ATEC Meeting Place travel trade event was a win for the Territorys tourism industry with the event generating an estimated $1.13 million in delegate expenditure.
The annual event has a record number of 95 Inbound Tour Operator buyers registered and nearly 300 Australian sellers and industry professionals.
The conference will provide opportunities for Australian travel sellers to experience the Top End to broaden their knowledge of our tourism products.
Highlights include: eight conference familiarisation programs for buyers to Darwin and surrounds, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, Mary River and the Katherine regions; industry leadership meetings and valuable Business-to-Business workshops.
To learn more about industry events visit tourism.nt.com.au or for details on the Australian Tourism Export Council visit www.atec.net.au
As noted by Minister for Tourism and Culture, Lauren Moss
Our record $103 million Turbocharging Tourism stimulus package includes $2.33 million to attract more national and international business events.
Securing the lucrative 2018 ATEC Meeting Place travel business event in Darwin is a great win for the industry.
The flow-on benefits are significant as it will give influential travel industry representatives a first-hand taste of what Darwin has to offer so they can spruik it to potential visitors.
We are actively looking to increase the number of business events being held in the Territory, including the development of the first ever long-term business events strategy which will guide the development of the NT business events sector through to 2030.
As noted by Peter Shelley, Managing Director, ATEC
Meeting Place is ATECs premier national event, providing our members with a fantastic platform to update their knowledge, connect with new and existing business contacts and to be enlightened by the destination and all it has to offer.
This years theme is Authentically Australian and there are few places as authentically Australian as the Northern Territory. Its undoubtedly been the inspiration for many a trip Down Under and we are pleased to be heading north for our first ever Meeting Place in Darwin.
Australia offers a truly unique destination - capturing the imagination and inspiring adventure. With international visitation growing at 8% and delivering more than $42 billion in tourism spending export tourism is a sizable economic force.
