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Australian Regional Tourism (ART) and the Australian Institute of Tourism Officers (AITO) have announced a coming together aimed at enhancing support for regional tourism across the country.

After more than 30 years, AITO members voted to wind up the organisation and transition its membership base and residual funding of approximately $70,000 to ART, marking a significant step forward in bolstering resources for regional tourism professionals.

AITO, recognised for its commitment to promoting professional development and industry cohesion, views this decision as a strategic move to ensure sustained support for the regional tourism sector. By transitioning the membership base across to ART, former AITO members will be able to leverage ART’s extensive network and resources to further advance their professional development.

Explaining the merging, ART Chair Joel Chadwick stated "this initiative with AITO reinforces our dedication to strengthening regional tourism capabilities.

“The transferred funding will be instrumental in enhancing our Tourism Hub, providing greater access to resources and professional development opportunities for regional tourism stakeholders."

Echoing this sentiment, AITO President, Steven Baldwin added "this strategic move was inevitable and will support AITO’s legacy of excellence in tourism.

“Under our Memorandum & Articles (Constitution) we are required on winding up to ensure that any assets are vested in an organisation that shares the same tourism focus as AITO. We are confident that this alliance with ART will benefit our members and have a positive impact within the tourism community."

The residual funds from AITO will support an upgrade of ART’s Tourism Hub, a digital platform dedicated for connecting and empowering regional tourism professionals. This investment will enhance the platform's tech infrastructure, ensuring it remains a vital resource hub for the industry.

Chadwick went on to say “we commend AITO for their vision and foresight in recognising the importance of industry bodies collaborating to best support members.

"We are grateful to AITO for selecting ART as the beneficiary of their residual funds. The ART board is committed to upholding AITO's legacy by leveraging these funds to support the growth of regional tourism professionals across Australia."

As part of the transition, ART will extend complimentary Tier 4 Membership for the 2024/25 period to existing financial AITO members. This initiative aims to facilitate seamless access to ART’s resources, including the Tourism Hub, which serves as a central hub for knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking opportunities.

ART Convention 2024
ART has advised of that the theme of its 2024 Convention is to be ‘Regional Tourism: Inspiring Success’.

Being held at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre in North Queensland from 9th to 11th October, the Convention will include presentations, social events and, on Wednesday 9th October a welcome reception and the Agritourism Forum presented in partnership with Tourism Australia.

Click here for more information on the ART Convention in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.  

Images: Wine tourism in the Barossa Valley (top) and the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (below).

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