This week, Visit Sunshine Coast (VSC) has attended Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event. Held on the Gold Coast (15-19 May), the event brings together more than 2,300 travel industry delegates from more than 30 countries.
The Sunshine Coast was represented by 21 Sunshine Coast tourism businesses with 35 delegates in attendance. In addition, the VSC team met with over 270 international buyers and media in one-on-one appointments from both the Western and Eastern hemispheres.
VSC Acting CEO, Simon Latchford said the largest ever contingent of Sunshine Coast sellers have attended ATE this year.
“It has been a great opportunity to showcase so many new Sunshine Coast tourism businesses with ATE being held in Queensland this year.
“We were able to re-engage with key Inbound Tour Operators, Tourism and Events Queensland international directors, Tourism Australia and of course wholesale product managers from international target markets.
“For the first time, we were also able to put the spotlight on our international events portfolio to help drive greater demand to the Sunshine Coast region,“ said Mr Latchford.
VSC and Fraser Coast Opportunities’ joint marketing partnership Australia’s Nature Coast also partnered with Scoot Airlines to host Singapore travel buyers at a pre ATE VIP networking function. Held at Mantra Legends Hotel on the Gold Coast; the event featured local Sunshine Coast produce created by bush-tucker chef Peter Wolfe, Aussie World characters Jake & Tilly and entertainment by Sunshine Coast musician, Carl Wockner.
Attendance at ATE, has been complemented with coordination and hosting of over 40 leading global buyers and media on pre and post ATE trade and media visits to the Sunshine Coast region. The participants have come from key markets in both UK, Germanic Speaking Europe, USA and Eastern markets (Singapore, China, Japan & Taiwan) and have experienced all areas of the coast from Caloundra and the hinterland to Mooloolaba, Noosa and through to Rainbow Beach.
The Sunshine Coast attracted 251,000 international visitors in the year ending December 2015. (Tourism Research Australia, International Visitor Statistics).
Bush tucker chef, Peter Wolfe showcases local produce for VIP agents.
