AUSTRALIA TO REAP REWARDS OF LUCRATIVE TRAVEL SEGMENT

Where will the world’s top companies choose to send their best staff and clients as a reward or incentive next year? Australia - if the ATC has anything to do with it.

Over 100 of the world’s top incentive travel buyers are in Australia this week for ‘Dreamtime 2000’, the Australian Tourist Commission’s biennial incentive trade event.

“Incentive travel business is one of the most lucrative segments of the global travel market,” ATC Managing Director John Morse said today. “Dreamtime is our most important initiative to position Australia as the most sought after destination for incentive travel organisers.”

Mr Morse said the ATC estimated around 100,000 incentive travellers visited Australia in 1999 - business worth millions to the local economy.

“And we’ve only scratched the surface,” he said. “There is enormous potential for Australia in the market segment. We have the appeal, the product and the experiences which combine to create the perfect reward or incentive.”

The ATC estimates the average incentive group visited Australia comprises 81 delegates. And the average budget for their on the ground activities is around AUD$2000 but can reach as high as AUD$8000.

“The size of an incentive groups can be significant,” Mr Morse said. “Earlier this year, for example, Japanese company Charle sent 4,200 delegates to Australia and two major U.S companies have nearly 3, 000 booked to visit next year.”

The trade show component of Dreamtime 2000 is being held in Sydney on 1 and 2 June, 2000. The international buyers will then travel to the Gold Coast for three days of familiarisation with top end Gold Coast product and experiences.

122 international incentive buyers from 25 countries and 75 Australian incentive sellers are attending Dreamtime 2000.

Sydney, Port Douglas, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Uluru - Kata Tjuta are the most popular incentive destinations in Australia.