The Gold Coast will receive a massive injection into the local economy next year, with the announcement a major tourism event will be held in the City.
The Australian Tourism Exchange will come to Broadbeach next year, and will inject an instant $9 million.
The event will give Gold Coast tourism operators the chance to showcase themselves to the world to over 2,000 tourism bosses including travel decision-makers, airline executives and international media.
Mayor Tom Tate says he “can’t wipe the smile” off his face.
“It’s the biggest coup in my ten years as Mayor,” Mayor Tate says.
“Mark my word, it’s going to set us up for the next five years, it’s wonderful!”
The event is the largest international tourism show in the Southern Hemisphere and will be held across five days at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Destination Gold Coast Chair Adrienne Readings says the positive impacts it’ll bring to the coast are immeasurable.
“An instant $9 million is injected, and that’s really the event itself, bringing all those buyers over. ” Ms Reading says.
“However, we can’t measure the impact of it with five years of uplift because of ATE being here.”
The event was held on the Gold Coast in 2016, and will be welcomed back as one of the biggest events the City has held since before the pandemic.
“This is where the decision-makers at wholesale level come together,” Mayor Tate says.
“When they see the Gold Coast, they will all agree: this is the best place in Australia to send tourists and conferences.’’
The Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) is Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event, and is now in its 42nd year.
The ATE event will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 30 – May 4, 2023.
