Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs presented a keynote address emphasising the importance of investment to drive competitiveness across the tourism industry.

Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan chaired a panel about travel trends and preferences for Australia’s big four inbound markets: the UK, USA, NZ and China.

Austrade Senior Investment Specialist Karen Wales hosted an investor panel who spoke about their Australian hotel investments and where they see opportunities going forward. Tourism Australia and Austrade also held a number of meetings with international investors to promote opportunities across Australia.

Australia is the eighth largest tourism market in the world and is fast becoming a major destination for business investment. Tourism is Australia’s largest services industry export and second only to iron ore as an export earner.

In response to Tourism 2020 goals to increase visitor expenditure Tourism Australia and Austrade have formed a partnership to make Australian tourism opportunities more readily available to interested investors.