Business Events Australia’s major incentive showcase, Australia Next (previously known as Dreamtime), was held this week in Cairns.

The event highlighted experiences and products to international buyers to increase awareness and interest in Australia as a business events destination.

Taking place from 8-11 September 2024, it provided the Australian business events industry with the opportunity to connect with incentive agents from around the world.

Over two days 80 international business events buyers, 15 media and 96 Australian industry sellers took part in the event’s program.

The international buyers and media are also taking part in pre and post familiarisations in destinations around the country.

Representatives from BESydney met with qualified buyers and media from North America, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, South Korea and Japan to showcase the unique attributes of Sydney and NSW as a business events destination.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said: “Our signature incentive showcase has traditionally been held every two years but we have brought it back again in 2024 to turbocharge efforts to build a strong pipeline of international business events.

“We are already seeing international business events return to Australia, with the latest numbers from Tourism Research Australia showing they contributed $4.6 billion to our visitor economy in the 12 months to March 2024.

“While that total trip spend is above the levels we experienced in 2019, the number of visitors arriving in Australia for an international business event is at about 75 per cent of what we have seen in the past and we hope hosting Australia Next in Cairns in 2024 will help to drive the industry’s recovery and future growth.”

Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial & Business Events Australia Robin Mack said: “Last year our incentive showcase in Adelaide generated 212 business leads across the country to date, worth $192 million, so we know the event works and we can’t wait to see the business created from this year’s event in Cairns.”

Australia Next 2025 will be held from 1-3 December 2025 in Melbourne.