Tourism Australia snubs while Tourism New Zealand full embraces region’s top luxury and experiential travel show – Luxperience!
Organisers of Luxperience, the region’s top luxury and experiential travel show said today that Tourism Australia has been notable in its absence, effectively snubbing the show, while over the pond competitor Tourism New Zealand has fully embraced the show, sponsoring a large café [left] with NZ coffee and water, with even CEO Kevin Bowler attending to host a buyers and media function, with fantastic Maori entertainers.
Rosemarie Sama the CEO of Luxperience, told me that she had tried everything to get Tourism Australia involved through various TA channels, even trying to meet with CEO Andrew McEvoy three times, but failing to secure a meeting and also inviting Chair Geoff Dixon to attend, which was also declined.
She added that she was told that the decision not to attend by Tourism Australia was that they thought Luxperience competed with their own trade show ATE and also that Luxperience was too regional and not specific enough to Australia.
With over 100 exhibitors, many from Australia and over 300 buyers from all over the world, without doubt Tourism Australia missed a massive opportunity to promote Australia with Luxperience even taking place in the iconic Overseas Passenger Terminal overlooking Sydney’s stunning harbour.
Luxperience closed yesterday Wednesday, a hug success with Tourism NZ CEO Kevin Bowler telling me that he was thrilled that Tourism New Zealand was able to take part in such a significant manner, with Luxperience very much representing the experiential and luxury travel product that was in abundance in New Zealand and for which New Zealand was so well known.
To hear what he had to say click on the video box below.
John Alwyn-Jones reporting on location from Luxperience 2012.
We support around 20 trade events each year, in additional to our annual flagship event – the Australian Tourism Exchange.
In the case of a new event such as Luxperience, we wanted to see how it went in its first year, including taking a closer look at the buyer and seller profile so establish whether it offered a point of difference and some ‘value-add’ for Tourism Australia.
One of our senior executives – our head of destination development – actually went along to the event yesterday, meeting with organisers and also talking to some of the exhibitors.
The feedback was certainly positive and we are looking at how we can get more involved in the event next year.
When did Kiwis start growing coffee ???
Tourism Australia didn’t need to spend $$$$$ as the iconic Opera House was in full view for free
I didn’t see “The Big Sheep” or lamb for lunch
You might want to check the buyer numbers. There were less than 25 buyers from the US. There were around 350 attendees in total.
Tourism Australia was right in taking a prudent approach.
Thx Leo for your response and comments. I look forward to seeing TA there next year!
M Williams – I will check the numbers, TA could have been there on a very minimal $$ scale to show some support. I actually doubt Luxperience would have charged them
Safari Trev – being across Campbell’s Cove to the Opera House made TA’s not big there even more silly!!
John,
Did you verify the buyer numbers? Skepticism hasn’t abated.