AusLeisure

The ACT will this year play host to the Australian Tourism Export Council’s (ATEC) annual industry event, Meeting Place, bringing more than 400 export tourism leaders to the nation's capital in November.

In a joint announcement on the hosting of the event with VisitCanberra, ATEC Managing Director Peter Shelley advised “Meeting Place is our flagship industry event, bringing together thought leaders, decision makers and business development managers from across the country.

“The event provides an important platform for commercial connections between travel buyers and sellers, high level conferencing as well as peer to peer discussions around issues and opportunities impacting the growth of our tourism export industry.

“For more than 40 years, ATEC has held this event in Sydney, so we are excited to be bringing it to a new destination, and at the same time to be creating an opportunity to profile and grow the number of international visitors to the Canberra region.”

The success of the Canberra bid to host Meeting Place in 2016 was attributed to the support provided by members of the local ACT ATEC Branch who assembled a very compelling bid proposal.

Shelley added “VisitCanberra has also been strong supporters of the bid process recognising the opportunity to ‘show-off’ Canberra and surrounds to 100 international travel buyers who will attend the conference and explore and enjoy many of the experiences that Canberra has to offer international travellers.”

VisitCanberra’s Director, Ian Hill, said Meeting Place would focus industry leaders on the Canberra region and the amazing destination it offers international visitors.

Hill explained “with the commencement of Singapore Airlines’ direct flights between Canberra, New Zealand and Singapore in mid September, it is timely that Meeting Place comes to the capital.

“Canberra has just recorded its biggest year to date of international visitors, with 195,118 international visitors for the year ending December 2015. These visitors contributed to $394 million to the ACT’s economy.”

Hill said Meeting Place also enables delegates to attend pre and post event familiarisations of the Canberra and the region, enabling them to experience first-hand the diverse experiences in such close proximity in both the city and surrounding region.

Hill added that the event is not only a coup for Canberra but also testament to the hard work of the ACT ATEC Branch and national office to bring this great event to our region.

The Meeting Place Conference will take place on 29th and 30th November at QT Canberra, and involve many of Canberra's landmark attractions including Parliament House and the National Museum of Australia.

Click here for more information on Meeting Place in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: ATEC and VisitCanberra executives at the Meeting Places 2016 announcement (top) and balloons over Canberra (below).

2nd March 2016 - SPENDING HIGHLIGHTS THE EXPORT VALUE OF AUSTRALIAN TOURISM

2nd November 2015 - GROWTH FORECAST PUTS TOURISM AT THE FOREFRONT OF AUSTRALIAN EXPORTS

30th July 2015 - DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH EMPHASISES IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM EXPORTS 

23rd February 2015 - CANBERRA COLOR RUN ATTRACTS THE CROWDS

24th November 2013 - ATEC ANNUAL MEETING TO DEFINE AUSTRALIA’S VISITORS

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