Darwin – The future of Australia’s inbound tourism sector will go under the spotlight at an upcoming conference that will attract the best minds in the industry, event organisers have said.
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Symposium 2009 conference will bring more than 500 inbound tourism operators, decision-makers and tourism product suppliers to Darwin from April 28 to May 1.
ATEC Managing Director Matt Hingerty said this year’s symposium was arguably one of the most critical conferences in the tourism industry’s history.
“The conference occurs at a historic conjunction of the global financial crisis, the pending appointment of new leadership at Tourism Australia and the release of the Rudd Government’s Long-Term Tourism Strategy, all of which will help set the future of the Australian inbound tourism industry for years to come.â€
Hingerty said Darwin has been transformed with new hotels, new conference facilities and other new infrastructure complementing the Northern Territory’s natural assets, “placing Darwin at the forefront of must-see experiences for foreign travellers coming to Australiaâ€.
Hingerty added, “Trading conditions have rarely been more challenging for tourism businesses than in the past few months, with more to come.
“That’s why it is important that we bring ATEC members to see places like Darwin and show that there are still destinations and operators willing to invest, to innovate and look to the future.”
This year’s two-day ATEC Symposium conference programme features the theme ‘Trading through troubled times… the journey to recovery’.
A key element of the conference will be pre- and post-conference familiarisation tours of the region for inbound agents.
