The event sees 80 international incentive buyers, 96 Australian sellers and 15 media – including micenet – gather in Tropical North Queensland to sample the best of the local incentive offering – from historic structures that have been repurposed as event venues to the local culinary scene and the region’s hero activities from the reef to the rainforest.
“It is great to be welcoming international business events planners and media back to Australia for the second consecutive year,” said Tourism Australia’s managing director, Phillipa Harrison.
“Our signature incentive showcase has traditionally been held every two years but we have brought it back again in 2024 to turbocharge efforts to build a strong pipeline of international business events.
“We are already seeing international business events return to Australia, with the latest numbers from Tourism Research Australia showing they contributed $4.6 billion to our visitor economy in the 12 months to March 2024.
“While that total trip spend is above the levels we experienced in 2019, the number of visitors arriving in Australia for an international business event is at about 75 per cent of what we have seen in the past and we hope hosting Australia Next in Cairns in 2024 will help to drive the industry’s recovery and future growth.”
With incentive trips typically being shorter lead business than association meetings, the showcase is also likely to help Australian destinations and businesses who supply incentives with faster business development and sales returns.
“Last year our incentive showcase in Adelaide/Tarntanya generated 212 business leads across the country to date, worth $192 million, so we know the event works and we can’t wait to see the business created from this year’s event in Cairns,” said Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of commercial and Business Events Australia, Robin Mack.
“Incentive planners from 10 key markets around the world will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the unique tourism experiences and world-class venues available in Cairns, and as a result generate further business leads for our industry.”
International planners and media in Australia for the showcase have travelled from North America, the UK, Greater China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, India, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand.
While the CEO of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Mark Olsen, said the event would help show off the sustainability and accessibility of Cairns, the head of Tourism and Events Queensland, Patricia O’Callaghan, said the event will help the state reach its broader visitor economy goals.
“Australia Next supports bringing high-value incentive travellers to our state which will be key in growing our international overnight visitor expenditure to $11 billion by 2032,” O’Callaghan said.
“Tourism and Events Queensland’s business events strategy sees us aiming to achieve 20 per cent of the Australian market share by 2027, a growth of four per cent which will bolster our international visitor numbers.”
Buyers spent today in discussions with Australian sellers, while the media met with Australian sellers in the morning before enjoying an outdoor private lunch by the Coral Sea catered by the deservedly acclaimed Nu Nu Restaurant.
Tomorrow, buyers and media will spend the day experiencing the destination’s incentive product firsthand, with a group heading out to the new Reef Magic pontoon on a private charter, a second group visiting Rainforestation Nature Park and a third group visiting Koala Gardens and Kur-Cow Barnwell Farm for a farm experience. The second two groups are both travelling via the Kuranda Scenic Rail.
International planners in Cairns for Australia Next are also undertaking pre- or post-event famils to other Australian destinations.
