Near to 400 delegates are set to converge on the City of Greater Geelong on Wednesday for the Victoria Tourism Industry Council’s (VTIC) annual Victorian Tourism Conference – the largest of its kind in the state, designed to support, transform and elevate the visitor economy.
Now in its sixth year, the conference connects the diverse segments of the industry, bringing together the best minds in tourism, events and beyond for two dynamic days of dialogue, adventure, knowledge-sharing and networking.
VTIC Chief Executive Felicia Mariani said she is proud to present this year’s conference in Geelong, which was also the first regional city to host the event in 2014.
“We are excited to bring the conference back to the place where it all began,” she said.
“Along with local partners Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine, Business Events Geelong and Higher Mark at GMHBA Stadium, this year we are re-imagining our program to deliver an exciting and innovative experience of the city that is not-to-be missed.
“Not only is this a great opportunity for industry to share ideas and learn best-practice strategies to grow their businesses – it also positions Geelong front and centre to showcase its exceptional tourism assets, products and services and reaffirm why tourism is a key economic driver for the region and major drawcard for visitors to the state.”
The 2019 conference theme, ‘through disruption, we find excellence,’ will be brought to life by an impressive array of renowned local, interstate and international speakers.
“This year’s program is a real game-changer for industry,” Ms Mariani said.
“We have organised a strong line up of presenters and bespoke experiences drawing on some of the most creative minds from across Australia and around the world.
“Whether you’re an operator, marketer, business owner, strategist or all of the above, we know that you will be inspired and challenged to embrace opportunities created by the forces reshaping our industry.”
Conference keynote speakers include:
· Head of fwNATION, leading advisor to the travel industry, author and innovator, Jesse Desjardins
· Minister for Tourism and Major Events, the Hon Martin Pakula MP
· Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP
· CEO Tourism Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, Kristin Dunne
· Founder of ROSHAMBO, Gus Balbontin and
· Visit Victoria’s CEO Peter Bingeman, along with a host of industry leaders.
“The 2019 Victorian Tourism Conference will be an opportunity to build relationships, consider how to actively grow business and collectively plan to revolutionise our industry,” Ms Mariani said.
“We are confident that this year will be bigger and better than ever.”
The Victorian tourism industry’s premier conference begins on Wednesday 17 July until Thursday 18 July, and will be held at GMHBA Stadium, Geelong. Stadium, Geelong
Click here for the full program schedule.
