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Aiming to provide direct support to Australian tourism operators in the wake of the bushfire and Coronavirus crises, Tourism Australia has announced a series of initiatives that will be implemented as part of the 2020 Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE20).

The initiatives are being supported by $6.5 million in additional funding provided to Tourism Australia as part of the Australian Government’s National Bushfire Recovery Fund

The special edition of the annual trade show will have a strong recovery focus, with a raft of changes being implemented to the event’s format and delivery, including:

• Waiving the bulk of the attendance fees for all seller companies to acknowledge the recent downturn in tourism and put money directly back into their businesses;
• Providing additional support for familiarisation visits for buyers to get out into affected regions to help spread the message overseas that Australia is open for business;
• Providing the opportunity for operators from fire affected destinations to attend ATE20 to give them important exposure to both domestic and international travel buyers;
• Activating spaces within the ATE event to educate and inform all attendees on how Australia is still open for business.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison advised that ATE20 would take on an adjusted format to help with the industry’s recovery following the bushfires and coronavirus.

Harrison noted “ATE is such an important event for our tourism industry, providing a platform for hundreds of Australian operators to showcase their products and experiences, and connect directly with travel buyers and media from around the world.

“The last few months have undoubtedly been some of the most challenging that our industry has experienced, which is why we have made some significant adjustments to this year’s event to give back to those who are hurting in the wake of the bushfires and the coronavirus and put money directly back into their businesses.

“This is one of a series of initiatives that we are implementing to help get our industry back on its feet as soon as possible. A few weeks ago we launched our new domestic campaign, ‘Holiday Here This Year’, along with the bespoke business events iteration ‘Event Here This Year’, which continues to be rolled out across the country.

“And work is well underway for a new international campaign along with a comprehensive international media hosting program, which will bolster the work that we continue to do with trade and media in our key international markets to reinforce the message that Australian tourism is safe, open for business and eager to welcome visitors.”

Run by Tourism Australia, ATE is Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event. ATE brings together Australian tourism businesses and tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world through a combination of scheduled business appointments and networking events. It also provides international travel buyers with the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism offering first-hand through pre and post event familiarisations.

ATE delivers between A$5.5 and A$8.5 billion in international sales to the Australia’s tourism industry across 30 countries, plus provides an immediate economic injection of around $10 million for the hosting city.

ATE20 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 10th to 14th May.

Click here for more details on ATE20 in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

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