Key facts

• Over the week-long event ATE is expected to inject more than $10 million into the local economy with around 13,000 paid visitor nights spent in Melbourne.
• More than 80 new companies interested in selling Australian holidays have signed up to attend the event this year.

Key quotes

• "ATE is the only travel trade show of its kind staged in Australia, which solely focuses on promoting Australia’s tourism experiences to the international market." Geoff Buckley, Managing Director, Tourism Australia.
• "With around 1,700 Australian delegates from 630 companies expected to meet with up to 600 overseas buyers from over 40 countries in up to 100,000 business appointments at the event, ATE provides the groundwork to further grow Australia’s $25 billion inbound tourism industry." Geoff Buckley, Managing Director, Tourism Australia.
• "The event is the most effective way for international buyers to meet with a diverse range of Australian tourism experiences, whether it’s our hotels, tour operators, attractions or state and regional tourism organisations, whilst experiencing the destination first-hand." Geoff Buckley, Managing Director, Tourism Australa.

Full story

Australia’s tourism industry is taking centre stage in Melbourne over the coming week as the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) 2009 welcomes travel wholesalers (buyers) from around the world, helping to secure billions of dollars in future tourism business for Australia.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Geoff Buckley said ATE is the only travel trade show of its kind staged in Australia, which solely focuses on promoting Australia’s tourism experiences to the international market.

“ATE is the one chance a year that Australian tourism businesses have the chance to meet face-to-face with the people responsible for selling Australian holidays in our key international source markets on Australian soil,” Mr Buckley said.

“The event is also the most effective way for international buyers to meet with a diverse range of Australian tourism experiences, whether it’s our hotels, tour operators, attractions or state and regional tourism organisations, whilst experiencing the destination first-hand.

“With around 1,700 Australian delegates from 630 companies expected to meet with up to 600 overseas buyers from over 40 countries in up to 100,000 business appointments at the event, ATE provides the groundwork to further grow Australia’s $25 billion inbound tourism industry.”

Mr Buckley said while global economic factors were impacting on travel worldwide, Australia was so far experiencing moderate declines in international visitor numbers.

“As a result of global economic factors Australia has seen a slight decline in international visitors in the first four months of this year,” Mr Buckley said. “However, there are indications that international visitors are choosing to stay longer and spend more during their travels in Australia.

“In terms of the short term outlook for international travel to Australia over the coming months, it is very difficult to read what the impacts will be as travellers opt to defer their travel plans and are booking at the last minute.

“We know there is still alot of interest in our country as a holiday destination and in fact we have seen more than 80 new companies interested in selling Australian holidays sign up to attend the event this year.

“This kind of interest demonstrates the confidence that the travel trade has in selling Australia internationally even in tough times. And events such as ATE, along our international marketing programs, are important for ensuring that Australia is top of mind with both the travel trade and consumers around the world.”

Mr Buckley said Australia’s Food, Wine and Lifestyle would feature prominently at ATE this year.

“Australia’s food and wine continues to gain prominence internationally and during ATE we will be highlighting how it is becoming growing part of the Australian tourism industry,” Mr Buckley said.

“There is an absolute smorgasbord of regional produce reflecting Australia’s clean environment, multicultural population and climatic diversity and international travel buyers will be provided with sampling of these experiences during their time at ATE.”

Mr Buckley said there were also short and long term benefits for Melbourne and Victoria in hosting ATE.

“Over the week-long event ATE is expected to inject more than $10 million into the local economy with around 13,000 paid visitor nights spent in Melbourne,” Mr Buckley said.

“In the longer term, ATE will position Victoria as a leading holiday destination which will assist with building further international tourism business.

“In addition ATE will showcase Melbourne and Victoria to leading international businesses as delegates will travel around Victoria on pre and post-event tours, injecting valuable tourism dollars into the Victorian economy, including regional areas.”

ATE 2009 is divided into Eastern and Western hemisphere modules. The event was last held in Melbourne in 2004 and will be staged at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), from 13 to 19 June.