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Qantas and Trip Advisor representatives will headline Bendigo’s first tourism conference, Bendigo NEXT, which aims to explore the emerging and latest trends and provide invaluable insights for local businesses involved in regional tourism.

City of Greater Bendigo Manager Tourism and Major Events Terry Karamaloudis said Bendigo NEXT was the first tourism conference of its kind to be held in the city and encouraged local businesses not to miss out.

Karamaloudis advised “this is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses connected with the tourism and events industry to hear from a great panel of innovative experts and trend spotters who are willing to share their knowledge on the future for the tourism sector, and to focus on what works well for brand creation and visitor experiences.

“The latest tourism visitor figures have revealed the Bendigo Loddon region has seen a major growth in domestic and international visits. Qantas flights six days a week to and from Bendigo starting in March will also play a significant role, so it’s important that local businesses are preparing now for emerging trends and visitors’ future wants and needs.

“I strongly encourage those involved in regional tourism or who benefit from visitors coming to the region to book their spot at the Bendigo NEXT conference and take advantage of the practical workshops and networking opportunities, and explore marketing techniques and digital trends for the next generation of visitors.”

Key experts speaking at the conference include:

• TripAdvisor Destination Marketing Specialist, Alanna Green
• Qantas Regional Manager, Tom O’Callaghan
• Melbourne Museum Experience Developer, Zoe Meagher
• I heart bargains creator Chelsea Thomas - Australia’s largest budget blogger attracting 150,000 users
• The Urban List Head of Content, Michelle Blancato
• Visit Victoria Consumer Markets General Manager, Nicki Kenyon
• Author and futurist Simon Waller - researcher of trends and emerging technologies
• Great Ocean Stays owner, Christine Smith - who integrates accessibility into her tourism business in Geelong

Bendigo NEXT will be held on Monday 18^th February at the Capital Theatre and has been organised by Bendigo Tourism in partnership with the City.

Recent tourism figures from the National Visitor Survey 2.87 million day trips (domestic) were made to the Bendigo Loddon region were made between September 2017 and September 2018 - which is an 18.3% increase from the previous year and represents a 70% growth over the past 10 year.

Tickets for the event can be obtained by emailing tourism@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Image: Bendigo's Capital Theatre.

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