Western Australia’s tourism sector received a significant boost last week as Perth hosted the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Meeting Place 2025. The event, which ran from 27-29 October, provided a critical platform for export-ready tourism operators to engage directly with influential international buyers, and its outcomes will have strategic implications for agritourism businesses looking to expand into global markets.
More than 500 tourism leaders, including key decision-makers from Australia’s primary international markets, attended the conference. The event featured thousands of business-to-business meetings, providing a direct channel for WA operators to showcase their unique offerings.
Direct Access to International Buyers and Key Markets
For the agritourism sector, the ATEC Meeting Place represented a valuable opportunity to connect with buyers who curate and sell Australian experiences to a global audience. The event’s focus on business-to-business meetings allowed operators to pitch their farm stays, culinary experiences, and unique regional tours directly to those who can place them in front of international visitors.
Tourism Minister Reece Whitby highlighted the strategic importance of the event.
“ATEC Meeting Place is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Western Australia’s world-class tourism experiences directly to the agents who sell our destination internationally,” he stated.
“This event connects WA tourism operators with key national and overseas buyers, helping to drive visitation and strengthen our tourism industry’s global reach.”
Showcasing Regional WA Through Familiarisation Tours
A key component of the conference was a series of familiarisation tours designed to showcase WA’s premier destinations and experiences to the visiting buyers. While the main event was held in Perth and on Rottnest Island, these “famils” are crucial for demonstrating the appeal of regional travel, which is the cornerstone of the agritourism industry.
By providing these key decision-makers with a firsthand experience of what regional WA has to offer, the event helps ensure that agritourism products are understood and can be confidently promoted in international markets. This direct exposure is often the most effective way to secure inclusion in future travel itineraries.
Strategic Implications for WAAA Members
While the event has concluded, its impact will be felt in the coming seasons. The relationships forged between WA operators and international buyers will help shape the offerings promoted to inbound tourists. For WAAA members, particularly those who are export-ready, the conference served as a reminder of the importance of developing products that appeal to an international audience.
The government’s support for hosting ATEC Meeting Place—only the second time it has been held in Perth since 1972—reflects a broader strategy to diversify the economy and grow the tourism sector. Agritourism operators who align their business development with this strategy, focusing on high-quality, authentic experiences, will be best positioned to capitalise on the opportunities generated by such high-profile industry events.
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