As Australia Next approaches, Indian MICE buyers who attended in 2023 reflect on their experiences and share how many groups they have sent to Australia over the past year.
Nisha Verma
The stage is set for the next instalment of Australia Next (previously known as Dreamtime). Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase will take place from 8 to 11 September in Cairns/Gimuy, Queensland. The event, which is usually held biennially, is happening this time in less than one year, owing to the demand and traction it has seen from the MICE industry post-COVID.
Last year, it was held in Adelaide and as per the post-event survey, 100 per cent of the buyers who attended it, were more likely to consider Australia having visited for Dreamtime 2023, and were more likely to send an incentive or corporate meeting to Australia.
Before this year’s event kicks off, we spoke to some of the buyers from India who attended last year’s event on how much business they have given to Australia since November 2023 and what makes Australia the best bet for Indians as an incentive destination.
Dreamtime 2023
Dreamtime 2023 in Adelaide was the first post-pandemic incentive showcase by Business Events Australia and the response was overwhelming for both the buyers and Australian industry sellers. Rakesh Rajendran, Director, GainAccess Sports & Entertainment, agreed, saying, “It was fantastic networking with key stakeholders with respect to the Australian travel and experiences ecosystem.” Kunal N Ovalekar, Head Leisure & Luxury, Cutting Edge Events, shared the same opinion. “Meetings with various suppliers and event coordinators not only broadened our understanding of the available products, but also allowed us to build relationships and learn about unique offerings. This firsthand knowledge can be invaluable when tailoring recommendations to clients, as you can match their needs with the right experiences. From start to end, Dreamtime made sure to showcase products that would help us promote Canberra and Adelaide as a MICE/sports destination. Itinerary was interactive and informative, keeping in mind to cover most, in limited time. We were greeted with warm welcome at all the hotels, venues and stadiums we visited, truly showcasing the essence of Australian hospitality. Pre- and post-event were planned to help us interact with promotors and other country suppliers/agents. Meeting day was well planned and selective as per company’s profile. It was one of the best incentive programmes. Nishant, Mike, Sara, and the rest of the team really went above and beyond during Dreamtime to create a memorable experience for us,” he shared.
Calling it a dream come true, Karan D Jeswani, Senior Manager MICE Procurement, SOTC Travel, praised the trip to Canberra and Adelaide. “Before the trip, I only knew about Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, and Gold Coast. However, exploring these new destinations has broadened my perspective on Australia and promised a unique experience for clients,” he added.
New learnings
The event showcased new offerings in Australia for all attendees. “We learned quite a few aspects of Australian offerings which we were not aware of before,” said Rajendran. Even Ovalekar echoed the same feelings. “It gave us more information about offerings in Canberra and Adelaide as a MICE/sport destination. Meeting suppliers and other agents (also from other countries) during the pre- and post-events also helped us in gathering more information into the products and destination. Dreamtime covered varied products from luxury accommodation, diverse culture, food/dining, activities and unique locations.”
Amongst the experiences the group explored, Jeswani said, “We understood a lot about Australian cricket, culture, parliament, and other experiences.”
Business to Australia
When asked about how many groups and pax they have sent after attending Dreamtime 2023, Rajendran, shared, “We are a sports travel and experiences company. We had taken a group of 225 guests for the Australian Open Finals. This was a leading Indian IT company that was engaging their clients in Melbourne. From the best seats at Australian Open to Meet & Greet with Tennis legends to Conference at the MCG, the guests had a fantastic time. We are an official travel partner for Cricket Australia and we aspire to take a few corporate groups for India tour of Australia this summer.”
Even Jeswani informed that they operated a group of KEI of 230 pax to Sydney in July 2024.
Ovalekar although has not sent a group yet, but he said, “There are few opportunities lined up and we are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to promote Australia in the future.”
Australia Next 2024
Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase, Australia Next is designed to increase interest in Australia as an outstanding incentive events destination. The event provides business events decision-makers from Canada, Greater China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, the USA with the opportunity to do business with Australian business events destinations, products, and to experience Australia’s event delivery capabilities. The two-day programme includes a business to business session, a host city showcase, networking opportunities, and a fam programme to other Australian destination.
The event will take place at the newly expanded Cairns Convention Centre, with incentive buyers experiencing the best of Tropical North Queensland’s experiences and natural assets – including the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest – as well as First Nations unique offsite venues. The new A$176 million expansion of Cairns Convention Centre delivers an extra 113,021 sq. ft. of meeting, and exhibition space. The Centre now features the 500-guest capacity Trinity Room and Terrace boasting unparalleled views over Trinity Inlet, which is a 450-seat theatre-style plenary lecture space, and a spacious lobby. From its use of lush tropical flora to the floor-to-ceiling windows filling the Centre with magnificient natural light, the new expansion pays homage to Cairns/Gimuy’s natural environment. The Centre has also developed a new virtual reality tool to enable clients to explore the recent expansion and its grandeur from anywhere in the world.
The firsthand knowledge can be invaluable to customise recommendations for clients and right experience
Meeting suppliers and other agents during the pre and post-events also helps in gathering more information
Highlights
Australia Next includes a B2B session, a host city showcase, networking opportunities, and a fam programme to other Australian destinations.
This year’s venue, Cairns Convention Centre, has been expanded, featuring 500-guest capacity Trinity Room and Terrace.
