Essentials this week… | Working holiday campa ign launch | Conference delegate research webinar | World Routes 2019 | IMEX America | Lonely Planet awards SA | and more …

More than 3,000 aviation decision makers from around the world will gather in South Australia in 2019 for the world’s largest aviation trade event, the 25th annual World Routes Development Forum, providing a unique opportunity to showcase Australia to route planners. The conference will be held in Adelaide hosted by the South Australian Tourism Commission, Adelaide Airport, the Adelaide Convention Bureau and Tourism Australia. “This is a huge opportunity for Australia to show the world's route planners why our country is such a great investment proposition for future international aviation development,” said Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan. Find out more.

Tourism Australia hosted an Australia stand at IMEX America 2016 last week, the country’s largest business events trade show being held in Las Vegas. Business Events Australia produced a range of new content to highlight why there’s nothing like Australia for business events including the latest edition of Australia Innovates, a magazine featuring some of Australians excelling in a variety of fields. A new Business Events Australia destination film, highlighting Australia’s unique and inspiring experiences, was also shown to international buyers at group destination presentations.

South Australia is celebrating after being named in Lonely Planet's internationally-renowned Best in Travel 2017 list. The travel publication lists South Australia in the Top 10 Regions for 2017 and describes the State as a ‘delicious feast suitable to anyone’s taste’. In 2014, Adelaide ranked at number nine in the Top 10 Cities category. To celebrate the latest prestigious travel award, the South Australian State Government is hosting a free Block Party in Adelaide on Friday. Tourism is one of South Australia’s key economic drivers with the visitor economy currently at a record $5.95 billion. The South Australian State Government is committed the goal of an $8 billion tourism industry by 2020. (Photo: SATC, Kangaroo Island)

Seller applications close this Thursday 27 October for next year’s Australian Tourism Exchange to be held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney from 14 to 18 May. ATE is Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event. It provides a forum for Australian tourism businesses to promote their products directly to tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world through scheduled business appointments and networking events. Find out more and apply.

Australia is preparing for celebrations around the country with gala awards nights recognising top tourism businesses in each state and territory. Tickets are currently on sale for awards nights in: Adelaide, South Australia and Hobart, Tasmania on Friday 4 November; Brisbane, Queensland on Friday 11 November; Darwin, Northern Territory and Perth, Western Australia on Saturday 12 November; Sydney, New South Wales and Melbourne, Victoria on Thursday 24 November; and Canberra, ACT on Thursday 8 December. The national awards ceremony, the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, will be held on Friday 24 February in Darwin.

Google has released new consumer research on four ‘travel micro-moments’ that are changing how people plan for and experience travel. A trip was the largest discretionary purchase last year according to nearly 60 per cent of leisure travellers so before making this investment, travellers are taking time to research all the possibilities. Over 40 per cent of travellers say they bounce back and forth between dreaming about and planning their next trip with more and more time spent researching on mobile. For more research and trends related to international and domestic tourism and travel, visit Tourism Australia’s Insight Files.