The Northern Territory will host the Australian Tourism Export Council’s prestigious Meeting Place 2027, bringing hundreds of tourism industry leaders and international travel buyers to the Darwin for the first time ever.The announcement follows the success of G’day Australia 2026 in Darwin in October this year, and the skyrocketing levels of interest, visitation, and tourism investment in the Territory.Finocchiaro CLP Government is committed to growing our visitor economy as we back local businesses, support local jobs, and elevate the Territory’s profile as the best place to live, work, visit and invest.
Fresh off the back of our first-ever G’day Australia event, the Territory is set to host another one of Australia’s biggest tourism trade events, as the Finocchiaro CLP Government secures the Australian Tourism Export Council’s coveted Meeting Place 2027.
The massive event connects local businesses with inbound tour operators, promoting and packaging our tourism products to our growing international market – a market which saw 9% growth in the last year alone.
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Marie-Clare Boothby said the announcement was major coup for Territory tourism, as the Government continues to deliver on its ambitious Visitor Economy Strategy 2032 here.
“We’ve secured two of Australia’s biggest tourism trade events for the first time in just two years, while charting record-breaking visitor stats and global interest. It’s a huge vote of confidence in the Territory and our plan to grow NT’s visitor economy,” said Minister Boothby.
“ATEC Meeting Place 2027 will give hundreds of local operators from all over the Territory direct exposure to the people who sell Australia to the world, and who convert interest into itineraries, products into packages, and viewers into visitors.”
“This week’s event in Hobart welcomed more than 600 industry leaders, and facilitated over 7,500 direct business appointments between sellers and operators. We’re really excited to be able to deliver this opportunity for the Territory’s tourism businesses.”
“Whether it’s global headlines, industry forums, movie screens, or our jam-packed pipeline of events, it’s clear that the world is taking notice of the Territory like never before and for all the right reasons – and you better believe that we’re going to leverage that to attract more visitors and investment.”
Managing Director of the Australian Tourism Export Council, Peter Shelley, celebrated the win.
“Darwin is a fantastic destination for Meeting Place 2027, offering an opportunity to showcase the Northern Territory’s extraordinary tourism experiences and the diversity of its international visitor offering,” Mr Shelley said.
“Meeting Place is about building the connections and partnerships that drive Australia’s tourism exports, and taking the event to different parts of the country gives our international buyers a firsthand understanding of the destinations and experiences they can take to market.
“We’re looking forward to working with Tourism and Events Northern Territory to deliver another outstanding event, while putting Darwin and the region’s unique tourism offering in the spotlight.”
The announcement follows G’day Australia 2026, which welcomed around 300 international travel agents to the Territory for the very first time, as the NT records a whopping $2.36 billion in visitor spending and 1.23 million visitors in the year ending June 2026.
Minister Boothby concluded: “In our year of growth, certainty, and security, we are rebuilding our economy, and this is yet another demonstration that we’re on the right track.”
