Spread the love

Tourism Australia has announced that the 41st edition of Australia’s largest tourism tradeshow, the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), will take place in  Sydney in June this year, both face to face in person and virtual with the first part giving tourism operators around the country a chance meet and do business face to face, with travel wholesalers and agents from around Australia and the second virtual part from around the world.

The annual event, delivered by Tourism Australia, will involve a new and exciting hybrid format bringing together in-person face to face and virtual components to ensure the tourism industry can meet, exchange knowledge, and establish important business connections.

The in-person component of the tradeshow, ATE Live, will take place from 6 to 9 June 2021 at the International Convention Centre Sydney, enabling international buyers based in Australia or New Zealand, as well as domestic buyers and frontline travel sellers, to meet with Australian tourism operators.

The second, virtual version of the event, ATE Online, will follow from 10 to 17 June 2021 for all other international buyers who are unable to travel to Australia.

Tourism Australia says after the industry enduring the most challenging year on record, it is providing assistance by offering fully subsidised participation fees to the event along with three nights’ accommodation for sellers and buyers along with flights for buyers. FOC accommodation and flights will only be provided to delegates based outside of Sydney, with seller accommodation limited to one seller delegate per organisation.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said that participation in ATE is more important than ever to support the industry’s recovery, adding, “After what has been such a challenging period for tourism, we’re thrilled to be able to bring so many of our friends and colleagues from across the industry together for this year’s ATE event,” and “The tradeshow will provide an opportunity for operators to network and do business with wholesalers and agents from around the world, ensuring valuable links between Australian operators and the global distribution network continue especially while travel to Australia is on hold.”

ATE21 will also involve a number of changes, including a revised layout with traditional seller booths being replaced by networking areas defined by each of the States and Territories and appointments taking place throughout the trade show floor instead of seller booths.

Priority will also be given to past attendees and sellers in bushfire affected areas.

ATE typically brings together around 600 travel wholesalers and agents (travel buyers) from more than 30 countries with 1,500 Australian tourism operators (sellers) for four days of face-to-face meetings, networking opportunities and educational familiarisations in the host city.

Applications for ATE21 will open on 17 February and close on 19 March, with more information available in the coming weeks at www.tourism.australia.com/ate21

A report by John Alwyn-Jones