Media release

Australia Next has kicked off in Cairns/Gimuy with international business events planners and media to take part in the program which showcases Australia’s best incentive experiences and products to increase awareness and interest in Australia as an outstanding business events destination. 

Over the next two days 80 international business events buyers, 15 media and 96 Australian industry sellers will take part in the event’s program being delivered in partnership with Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. The international buyers and media will also take part in pre and post familiarisations in destinations around the country. 

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, said Australia Next 2024 is an opportunity to show Australia’s business events offerings to decision makers from Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, North America and the United Kingdom. 

“It is great to be welcoming international business events planners and media back to Australia for the second consecutive year. Our signature incentive showcase has traditionally been held every two years but we have brought it back again in 2024 to turbocharge efforts to build a strong pipeline of international business events,” Ms Harrison said. 

“We are already seeing international business events return to Australia, with the latest numbers from Tourism Research Australia showing they contributed $4.6 billion to our visitor economy in the 12 months to March 2024. 

“While that Total Trip Spend is above the levels we experienced in 2019, the number of visitors arriving in Australia for an international business event is at about 75 per cent of what we have seen in the past and we hope hosting Australia Next in Cairns in 2024 will help to drive the industry’s recovery and future growth.” 

Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial & Business Events Australia, Robin Mack, said it is great to be able to take the event to Tropical North Queensland to cast the spotlight on Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. 

“Incentive planners from 10 key markets around the world will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the unique tourism experiences and world-class venues available in Cairns, and as a result generate further business leads for our industry,” Mr Mack said. 

“Last year our incentive showcase in Adelaide/Tarntanya generated 212 business leads across the country to date, worth $192 million, so we know the event works and we can’t wait to see the business created from this year’s event in Cairns.”

Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Mark Olsen said delegates would experience the region’s business events expertise, unique offsite events, and extraordinary World Heritage landscapes.

“We will be especially proud to showcase Tropical North Queensland’s sustainability story with delegates transported on Tropic Wing’s new electric buses and 280 trees purchased through Reforest to offset the event,” Mr Olsen said.

“Hosting Australia Next in Cairns will help incentive buyers understand that the city’s business events infrastructure is just a 10-minute drive from Cairns Airport and their accommodation is withing walking distance of the Cairns Convention Centre, restaurants and the marina.”

Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said it’s great to welcome some of our key markets to Australia Next in Cairns. 

“Australia Next supports bringing high-value incentive travellers to our state which will be key in growing our international overnight visitor expenditure to $11 billion by 2032,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

“We not only have world-class destinations but world-class facilities too and we are proud to be able to showcase Queensland as an ideal incentives travel destination in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“Tourism and Events Queensland’s Business Events strategy sees us aiming to achieve 20 per cent of the Australian market share by 2027, a growth of 4 per cent which will bolster our international visitor numbers.  

“We hope that those visiting for Australia Next can soak up everything that Queensland has to offer from our iconic beaches, stunning national parks and World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.”

Australia Next Cairns 2024, from 8 to 11 September 2024, will be prefaced or followed by a familiarisation visit in key incentive destinations across Australia for international buyers and media. The program will be delivered in partnership with Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. Visit the event website here.