Bundaberg tourism exporters have welcomed high-value international buyers to experience why the region is one of the world’s most exciting rising tourism destinations.
More than 20 buyers and agents were recently welcomed across a series of familiarisations held in partnership with the nation’s largest tourism export marketplace, Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), where a delegation of Regional operators and Bundaberg Tourism met with hundreds more buyers from across Australia and the world.
Tourism Australia’s Regional General Manager for Continental Europe, Eva Seller, visited the Southern Great Barrier Reef for the very first time in a whirlwind visit across Bundaberg, Gladstone and Capricorn regions.
In Bundaberg, her epic itinerary included Splitters Farm, Turtle Sands, Macadamias Australia, Monsoon Aquatics and Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours from 4 – 6 May.
Best of Travel Group, one of Bundaberg’s biggest international partners from Germany, sent three delegates and experienced many key attractions including Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, and The Garden Mill across a massive three days across 22 – 24 April.
Agents from Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, China and Australia also visited the region across April and May, spending time with operators including Hinkler Hall of Aviation, Lady Musgrave Experience, Kellys Beach Resort, Tinaberries, the Windmill Café and Kalki Moon.
Loni Hammond, Trade & Industry Development Executive at Bundaberg Tourism, said, “Hosting key tourism export partners in the Bundaberg destination showcases our world-class offerings and creates invaluable opportunities to curate itineraries and packages with the buyer while in region to then sell to their partners and clients around the world.
“International tourism injects vital economic benefits into the Bundaberg region – in the year ending December 2024, international visitors spent a record $59 million in the region, on top of the more than $450 million spent by domestic visitors in the same period.
“These visitors dollars support local businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our community, and by investing in the growth of this sector, we ensure a thriving, sustainable future for our destination and everyone who calls it home.”
Megan Combe from Monsoon Aquatics said, “Hosting buyers within our business is a real opportunity for us to showcase and educate these key partners on what it’s really like to experience our tourism offering.
“As first-time attendees at ATE, we had the opportunity to promote Monsoon Aquatics to hundreds of potential partners, however there is nothing quite like walking through our coral farm, seeing the vibrant colours of over 70,000 individual corals and 200 marine species from around Australia, and learning about coral cultivation and our cutting-edge research aimed at supporting future reef restoration.”
Bundaberg’s familiarisation program was made possible through hundreds of hours of planning and hosting by the Region’s tourism industry and Bundaberg Tourism in partnership with Tourism Australia and Tourism & Events Queensland.
Thanks for the following operators for their dedication and hard work in promoting the region:
• Bert’s Bar & Restaurant
• Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience
• Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Barrel
• C Bargara Resort
• Kalki Moon Distilling Company
• Kellys Beach Resort
• Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort
• Lady Musgrave Experience
• Macadamias Australia
• The Mill Group – the Windmill Café, Garden Mill café and Beach Mill
• Mon Repos Turtle Centre
• Monsoon Aquatics Coral Farm
• Splitters Farm
• Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours
• Tinaberries
• Turtle Sands
