December will see Tourism Australia take its signature bi-annual incentive showcase – Dreamtime – to Brisbane for the first time.
Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan says the decision to host in Brisbane is an “exciting development for a city that is continuing to raise its profile internationally as an ideal incentive destination”.
The show, due to take place December 3-6, will draw buyers from key markets, including Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the US and United Kingdom. Following the four-day event in Brisbane, buyers will visit other Australian destinations.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk (left) looks forward to the opportunity to “showcase [Brisbane’s] vibrant hotels, venues, team-building offerings and leisure experiences to key global incentive decision-makers, who are responsible for bringing in large groups that support our tourism industry and broader visitor economy”.
New and on-going developments in Brisbane include an A$800 million (about US$590m) W Hotel, slated to open December 2017, and the redevelopment of Queens Wharf, which will offer five hotels and a total 1,110 rooms when completed in 2022.
Brisbane Marketing’s Convention Bureau general manager Rob Nelson (right) says the event will be an opportunity to “increase awareness of Brisbane’s remarkable incentive products and experiences”.
“I think the buyers and media attending Dreamtime will be pleasantly surprised and inspired by what Brisbane and our surrounding region have to offer,” he adds.
The wider picture
Beyond the benefit to Brisbane, O’Sullivan (left) says the event “has proven its value to the Australian business events industry, producing solid results in raising the Australia’s profile internationally and developing new business, with a survey of those who took part in the Dreamtime 2015 event so far confirming it generated over 60 incentive business leads worth AUD40 million”.
Dreamtime 2015 wins best corporate event
“Dreamtime is unquestionably the perfect platform to showcase our country’s outstanding products and experiences whilst also demonstrating our industry’s event delivery capabilities to buyers and media from around the world,” he adds.
The last edition of Dreamtime, which took place in Adelaide in 2015, drew 95 hosted buyers – 95 per cent of whom indicated that they were more likely to send business to Australia as a result of the event.
