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19 March 2025

We are the australian tourism industry

Today Tourism Australia held its annual Destination Australia conference with more than 800 industry and media attending in person and around 200 online, it was an incredible day for the tourism industry to hear about the future evolution and growth of the sector. Tourism is the backbone of communities right across the country, creating jobs and growth and with the theme for this year’s conference, ‘We are the Australian tourism industry’, speakers across the day highlighted the importance of the sector which is expected to be worth $220 billion before the end of the decade.

Our Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, explained that after many challenging years the tourism industry was now firmly focused on the future and, with Australia remaining a highly desirable destination for international travellers, the future outlook looks bright. Additionally, we heard the latest on the international tourism landscape, and Tourism Australia’s strategy and approach to drive international demand down under. Content from speakers, and videos from the day will be shared over future editions of the Essentials newsletter and LinkedIn. See below for some of the images from today.

With Karl Stefanovic returning to guide the day, we were joined by an array of industry leaders. Tourism Australia Chair, Penny Fowler AM, started the day by reaffirming Tourism Australia’s Board’s direction in line with today’s conference theme - to prioritise the importance of creating a sustainable future for our industry in an ever-changing world.

The Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell joined Karl Stefanovic for a conversation about the Federal Government’s focus on driving forward the growth of the Australian tourism industry.

Supporting tourism to Thrive

Austrade are the custodians of the Federal THRIVE 2030 strategy, and responsible for policy and supply side settings. The new Deputy CEO, Policy and Programs, Dara Williams, responsible for Tourism gave an update on Austrade’s focus and work to come.

What’s in store for 2025

As one of Australia’s leading business and finance analysts, Ross Greenwood has his finger on the pulse of where things are at for businesses and households. Ross used his crystal ball to dive into the tourism industry and what lies ahead from a domestic and international point of view.

Industry CEO’s - Looking to the Future

As context for the day, a panel of Australian tourism CEO's outlined their views on the outlook, priorities and trends for 2025. The panel, facilitated by our EGM Corporate Affairs, Bede Fennell, included: Melissa Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Business Events Association Ltd; Sara Quon, Chief Executive Officer, Sovereign Hill Museums Association; Corey Hagopian, Senior Vice President, Sales and Partnerships, Virtuoso; and Geoff York, Chief Executive Officer, Crystalbrook Collection Hotels & Resorts.

"We are the Australian tourism industry" Destination Spotlight – Alice Springs

While the overall picture for tourism continues to improve, there are some destinations facing ongoing challenges and hurdles. Regions which have faced challenges in recent times were acknowledged at Destination Australia including Alice Springs in a dedicated video, ‘We are the Alice Springs tourism industry’, which featured operators confident tourism will help the area thrive once again.

Agritourism - driving dispersal into our regions

Agritourism continues to be an emerging opportunity for tourism, and in particular regions, with a growing interest from international travellers. As Tourism Australia dials up its focus on this collective of operators, we heard from a panel of experts on what lies ahead, and how industry can lean into this sector. The panel, facilitated by Karl Stefanovic, included: Alex Baker, Director Marketing & Experiences, Kiff & Culture; Sheridan Beaumont, Founder, Sydney Oyster Farm Tours; Tim Parsons, Owner Operator, Curringa Farm; and Dale Tilbrook, Owner Operator, Dale Tilbrook Experiences.

AI: Beyond the Hype

AI. It's everywhere... but what does that even mean? It can be difficult to differentiate hype from reality and even harder to know how you should approach AI in the context of your own part of the tourism industry. Our Chief Marketing Officer, Susan Coghill and Rajan Kumar, CEO & Co-founder at The Lumery, part of Accenture Song, brought clarity to the world of AI with some practical guidance on the steps to equip businesses with the skills, knowledge and know-how to use AI successfully.

Experience Australia with Rachel Griffiths

To round out the day we were joined by Australian actor, Rachel Griffiths AM, who took some time to chat with Phillipa Harrison about her recent projects, the importance of screen tourism and her love of Australia. The new broadcast series Experience Australia was showcased to the audience for the first time. Incredible footage of tourism experiences around Australia, captured as part of the National Experience Content Initiative (NECI), has been turned into a TV series which will be broadcast into key tourism markets around the world to promote Australia as a travel destination. Voiced by Rachel Griffiths season one features 68 tourism operators across all eight states and territories, showcasing everything from Indigenous cultural tours to wildlife sanctuaries, mountain experiences, sailing and everything in between.