Key facts

• Sixteen partners will join Tourism Australia at IMEX this week to showcase the country’s energy, enthusiasm and options for business meetings, incentive travel, conferences and events.
• The US is Australia’s second largest source market for business events after nearby New Zealand.
• In the year ended 30 June 2011, there were 112,242 US business arrivals (an increase of four per cent) and 17,605 convention and conference arrivals.

Full story

Sixteen partners will join Tourism Australia at IMEX this week to showcase the country’s energy, enthusiasm and options for business meetings, incentive travel, conferences and events.  Tourism Australia’s presence at IMEX America is part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to the US business events market.

The US is Australia’s second largest source market for business events after nearby New Zealand.  In the year ended 30 June 2011, there were 112,242 US business arrivals (an increase of four per cent) and 17,605 convention and conference arrivals.

“Tourism Australia is committed to the US market and assisting business event organisers to send their clients Down Under,” said Head of Business Events Australia Penny Lion.

“We are a dedicated business events unit who are responsible for marketing Australia internationally as a business events and incentive destination,” Lion went on to say.

Next month, Business Events Australia will host fifteen US delegates at Dreamtime – Tourism Australia’s premier incentive showcase. Dreamtime will see qualified US incentive agents and buyers explore the country in a three day educational visit before joining other international delegates in Sydney for a series of networking events.  Dreamtime will give US delegates the knowledge, passion and contacts to sell Australia to their clients.

In January 2012, Tourism Australia will host business event networking functions as part of G’Day USA – the annual weeklong celebration of all things Australian including travel, business and culture.

Lion revealed Business Events Australia will be launching a new, dedicated website in the coming weeks.  The website businessevents.australia.com will house tailored content, product news, toolkits and media materials aimed at equipping event organisers with the tools required to sell the Australian experience to their clients.

Australia’s favourability as a meetings destinations saw the country move up five places in the ICCA rankings for 2010, after hosting 239 international meetings for the year. To build on this success, Australia has launched a new toolkit to help associations secure increased delegate numbers.  Developed with input from associations hosting international events in Australia, the toolkit provides step-by-step guides and practical hints and tips to attract more delegates.  It is designed to give associations hosting events in Australia an event stronger competitive edge.

A new survey has highlighted why Australia remains the number one desired incentive destination for Corporate End Users, after cash incentives. 

A qualitative study commissioned by Business Events Australia earlier this year saw American event organisers list Australia as a once in a lifetime experience for many delegates.  Australia’s beaches, food and wine were seen as core strengths, as well as it having a great diversity of attractions and activities .

Air access to Australia continues to strengthen with Australia’s major airlines both offering new routes and partnerships.  In September, Virgin Australia and Delta Air Lines announced an expanded codeshare agreement on flights between the United States and Australia commencing on 6 November 2011. Qantas Airways commenced direct flights from Brisbane and Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth on 16 May, the first direct connection between Australia and Texas.

Tourism Australia and partners will be hosting a daily Aussie lunch on its stand (stand number 236) as well as a competition to win classic Australian RM Williams travel luggage.  To enter the competition, drop your business card with the Tourism Australia team on the Australia stand.

Joining Tourism Australia at IMEX America will be the following partners:

• Business Events Cairns and Great Barrier Reef
• Business Events Sydney
• Cairns Convention Centre
• Encore
• Gold Coast Convention Bureau
• Hayman
• ID Australia
• JCM Destination Australia
• Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Shangri-La Hotel Sydney
• Starwood Hotels and Resorts
• Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Tour East
• V Australia
• Whitsundays Business Events

About Business Events Australia
Business Events Australia is a dedicated team within Tourism Australia devoted to promoting Australia as a business events destination. Tourism Australia will have a significant presence at IMEX Las Vegas, with sixteen stand partners joining forces to demonstrate why meeting, incentive, conference and event organisers should send their business Down Under.

1. Research was conducted by TNS Consultants in August 2011.  In-depth questionnaires were conducted with event planners in four key international markets including the USA.

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