Some of the region’s tourism industry operators have come together as “Team Bundaberg” for the nation’s top tourism trade event, the Australian Tourism Exchange.
Held in Sydney from 7 to 9 June, then virtually until 17 June 2021, the Australian Tourism Exchange is a business-to-business event organised by Tourism Australia which has returned for the first time since 2019.
The new hybrid format of in-person and virtual appointments is a major platform from which Bundaberg and the Southern Great Barrier Reef continues to build relationships and do business with hundreds of key buyers domestically and internationally.
Led by Bundaberg Tourism Chief Executive Katherine Reid, the region is being represented by Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience, Lady Musgrave Experience, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, Kellys Beach Resort and new products Villa Mirasol Motor Inn and Splitters Farm.
“2020 completely changed the face of the global tourism industry, however the Bundaberg Region’s ongoing commitment to developing our travel trade relationships domestically and maintaining our international relationships in spite of current travel challenges has set the region apart as a major regional destination that travel agents and buyers want to do business with,” Katherine said.
“The tourism industry in Bundaberg is a major contributor to our regional economy and thanks to our hard work across the past decade and recent collective perseverance, we have seen considerable growth in domestic visitors to the region in the past 12 months.
“By working collectively as Team Bundaberg to increase our investment in tourism trade over the past year and develop new markets from around Australia as well as keeping our international markets warm, the visitor economy will continue to increase our share of voice and visibility in market.”
Duncan Littler, Bundaberg Rum Marketing and Experience Manager, said he was excited to be back at ATE once again following a year like no other.
“It’s been encouraging to see visitation to our region and distillery experience grow as confidence in domestic travel returns,” he said.
“We need to ensure our vital tourism industry continues to bounce back so it’s important we keep building new and fostering existing relationships with our trade partners and that’s why we’re back at Australia’s largest tourism trade event with a number of other great tourism operators from the Bundaberg region.”
Evelyn Nielsen of Villa Mirasol Motor Inn has been undertaking trade mentoring and development activities through Bundaberg Tourism and the property has received very strong interest from travel trade at ATE, with an impressive 110 appointments lined up across the event schedule.
“The past 15 months have been deeply challenging but we have worked hard to develop new distribution channels for Villa Mirasol Motor Inn and are proud to be one of the newest Southern Great Barrier Reef products at ATE 2021,” she said.
“The Bundaberg Region has proven time and again that by staying connected during tough times and choosing positivity, resilience and a willingness to collaborate, the region can and will succeed.
“Villa Mirasol Motor Inn looks forward to a long future as part of Team Bundaberg – by working together to market the destination as a whole, we will continue to grow the local tourism industry as visitors continue to discover how fantastic Bundaberg region truly is.”
