Brisbane to host the Australian Tourism Exchange in 2025

Media release

ATE returns to Brisbane for the first time since 2007 and it will be the fourth time the city has held the event, having also hosted in 2001 and 2002.

Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, said ATE is an important event each year which provides the Australian tourism industry with the chance to meet with tourism wholesalers and retailers from 30 countries around the world.

"The Australian Tourism Exchange is an important event for Australian tourism businesses to sell their products and show the world why there is no place like Australia,” Mr Farrell said.

“With Queensland gearing up to host the Olympics in 2032, it’s terrific to see ATE returning to Brisbane next year connecting international buyers and local businesses to take advantage of the green and gold decade.”

“Queensland is home to some of the most beautiful and authentic Australian experiences and will be an excellent host for ATE in 2025.”

Queensland’s Tourism Minister, Michael Healy, said Queensland is the country’s favourite holiday destination and usually has the largest delegation of tourism providers at ATE.

“ATE is our industry’s marquee event and we can’t wait to welcome hundreds of international buyers and sellers to Brisbane once again, with the city thriving in new tourism infrastructure and opportunities,” Mr Healy said.

“Queensland always puts on a great show for ATE and we know when we are the host, demand is high for our incredible familiarisation and event program.

“We’ve previously helped Tourism Australia reach one of their highest delegation numbers in the event’s history and we look forward to reaching new heights in 2025.”

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, said with the Australian tourism industry on the cusp of full recovery the focus at ATE25 in Brisbane will help to drive the sustainable growth which will take the industry forward.

“Melbourne has once again done a great job hosting ATE and we look forward to taking this great event back to Queensland which is home to so many tourism operators and experiences,” Ms Harrison said.

“By the time ATE returns to Brisbane next year we expect that the Australian tourism industry would have surpassed the 2019 numbers we have been using as a benchmark and will once again be firmly focused on the future,” Ms Harrison said.

Tourism and Events Queensland CEO, Patricia O’Callaghan, said Team Queensland is ready to showcase our state to the world.

“We are proud to be Australia’s number one holiday destination so it’s great to welcome ATE back to Queensland which we estimate will benefit the Queensland economy by $8.5 million,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

“Queensland hosts many key trade events as we understand the importance they play in growing tourism in our state, but it is fair to say ATE is the cream of the crop. The long-term benefits from ATE are substantial – the relationships and future business it establishes will help us build to our goal of reaching $44 billion by 2032 in overnight visitor expenditure.”

Brisbane Economic Development Agency CEO, Anthony Ryan said Brisbane will be ready to roll out the welcome mat for tourism businesses from around the world in 2025 for the country’s biggest annual travel industry event – the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE); 18 years after it was last hosted in Brisbane.

“Lonely Planet, The New York Times, TIME Magazine and travel guide publisher Frommer’s, have all recently named Brisbane among the globe’s top destinations, and now having Brisbane chosen as the host city of ATE 2025 is another coup for our ever-evolving and beautiful city,” Mr Ryan said.

“This is Brisbane’s time. Hosting ATE will provide an invaluable platform for Brisbane to shine on the world stage, with tourism operators nationwide able to connect and conduct business with international buyers from around the world in our city.

“We look forward to welcoming ATE 2025, and we’re ready to showcase an abundance of new attractions, hotels, dining experiences, and cultural gems across Brisbane, ensuring an unforgettable visit for all attendees.”

ATE25 will be delivered by Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism Events Queensland, with support from the Brisbane Economic Development Agency.