Gold Coast welcomes Aussie Specialists to Corroboree Asia 2018
27 August 2018
More than 100 Australian tourism businesses are on the Gold Coast this week meeting with close to 300 Aussie Specialist travel sellers from key Asian markets to strengthen their specific product knowledge and enhance their ability to promote and sell Australia.
Hosted by Tourism Australia in partnership with Destination Gold Coast and Tourism and Events Queensland, the trade event combines training workshops, business appointments and networking functions exclusively for qualified Aussie Specialist agents from Greater China, Japan, Korea, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
“These Aussie Specialists from our key target markets across Asia are on the front line selling our destination to millions of travellers and Corroboree Asia offers an incredible opportunity for them to improve their product knowledge and experience our world-class experiences and destinations first hand,” said John O’Sullivan Managing Director Tourism Australia.
Ahead of the business appointments that will take place over three days starting tomorrow, Destination Gold Coast is today hosting a one-day showcase of the region featuring shopping precincts, local tours of the Hinterland and Springbrook National Park as well as theme parks and other attractions followed by a spectacular welcome function in the evening at Seaworld hosted by Tourism Australia.
Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said the Gold Coast was thrilled to partner with Tourism and Events Queensland and Tourism Australia on the Corroboree Asia trade event.
“The Asia markets are critical for driving international visitors to the Gold Coast,” Ms Battisa said.
“Corroboree Asia is an invaluable opportunity for our local operators to showcase their unique, diverse and memorable offerings to frontline travel specialists from these key source markets.
“In selecting the destination, Tourism Australia has expressed great confidence in the Gold Coast as a world-class tourism and major events hub.
“We have a great track record for delivering prominent events including the Australian Tourism Exchange in 2016, Corroboree West in 2017 and more recently the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games,” she said.
Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Officer Leanne Coddington said international travellers from Asia were responsible for 52.1 per cent, or $2.9 billion, of overall international visitor expenditure to Queensland in the year ending March 2018.
“The eastern markets are crucial to the growth of our state’s $25 billion tourism sector, as identified in our Queensland Asia Tourism Strategy 2016-2025, and travel agents play a significant role in influencing their customers’ travel decisions, including choosing Queensland and Australia for their next holiday.
“It’s fantastic Queensland operators will have the chance to engage directly with key travel specialists from across Asia, right in their home state, and have the opportunity to enhance agents’ product knowledge on the varied visitor experiences our state offers which appeal to Asian travelers,” Ms Coddington said.
Following the trade event from 28 to 30 August on the Gold Coast, 24 groups of Aussie Specialists will have the opportunity to experience Australia through five-day familiarisation visits in every State and Territory.
Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia are the international and domestic airline partners for the event flying the Aussie Specialists Down Under and throughout Australia.
The Aussie Specialist Program is Tourism Australia’s global online training program shared by all eight state and territory tourism partners to provide frontline travel sellers with the knowledge and skills to best sell Australia. Find out more about the Aussie Specialist Program.
The twitter hashtag for the event is #CA18GC and photos from the event are being posted throughout the week.
