Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event, Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), kicked off with a bang in Perth last night.
A welcoming event at Crown Towers, Perth, saw around 1,500 Australian seller delegates from approximately 550 companies, 650 key buyer delegates from over 30 countries, and 70 international and Australian media enjoy a night full food, fun and fireworks.
This year celebrates 40 years of ATE and is the fourth time ATE has been hosted in Western Australia. It was first held in Perth in 2005, and again in 2008 and 2012. Organised by Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism Western Australia, ATE19 takes place at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The event brings together Australian tourism businesses, and tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world through a combination of scheduled business appointments and networking events. It also provides international travel buyers with the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism offering first-hand through pre and post-event familiarisations.
The economic benefits ATE delivers are significant. Perth can expect an immediate injection of around $9 million to the local economy during the event. Longer term, the event helps to grow Australia’s $100 billion tourism industry through the relationships and future business established at ATE.
ATE will continue for the next three days before delegates take off on post-famil tours exploring the region as far north as the Kimberley Region and down south to Margaret River Region.
