Tourism Australia’s managing director Phillipa Harrison revealed that the showcase, now to be known as Australia Next, would have a surprise extra iteration in 2024.
“When I spoke yesterday morning…I said that we used to run this event every two years, but we haven’t had the opportunity to run it for the last four years, so we have decided – because we want to supercharge this industry, we want business events to come back and come back in force, and they are – we’re going to have an additional Australia Next event and we’re going to run it next year in 2024.”
Traditionally held every second year in odd-numbered years, the additional event will mean that Dreamtime – now Australia Next – will run for three consecutive years in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Tourism Australia has confirmed the event will return to its usual biennial cycle after 2025, with the next event to take place in 2027.
Harrison also announced that the event would be held in Cairns in Far North Queensland in 2024 – providing a juicy task for the incoming head of Business Events Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, Tara Bennett, who will join the organisation in early 2024 from her current role as CEO of Visit Port Douglas Daintree.
“I think the bar has been set so you guys better start working now,” Harrison joked after passing the baton to Cairns.
“What an event, so thank you so much Business Events Adelaide for what you’ve done for us – it’s been just an amazing event. We want to show not tell and I think you’ve done it in spades,” said Harrison.
Explaining the event’s name change, Harrison said there had been a review of Tourism Australia’s events and brand.
“We have decided to align the brand of this event with our incentive magazine…Australia Next,” she said.
“What I want to assure you though is that this event is going to remain the incredible showcase that it is. It’s not going to change in any way other than we are renaming it to Australia Next. We think that that alignment just works better in a competitive international market – Australia is right up there and I think it’s a very action oriented title.”
The final day of Dreamtime 2023 yesterday included a spectacular breakfast on the pitch of Adelaide Oval, which wrapped up with a performance of the classic song “I am Australian” by an Adelaide artist and a local children’s choir, delivered from the rooftop of the stadium. Buyers and media experienced Adelaide’s nearby regional attractions during the day, taking in wineries, wildlife and luxury accommodation offerings within an hour of the city.
Last night’s Dreamtime Dinner was held at Penfolds Magill Estate, surrounded by vineyards, just 8km from Adelaide’s city centre.
