We caught up with Robin Mack, acting managing director of Tourism Australia, at Australia Next in Melbourne last week to discuss the country’s signature incentive showcase, industry developments, sustainability leadership, and what makes Australia stand out on the global stage…
Why is Australia Next such an important event for Tourism Australia?
It’s a signature event for us because it works and delivers great results. Last year in Cairns, we had 161 leads worth almost $170 million, and we are confident this year’s event will deliver more great results.
We know the best way to showcase our country is to show, not tell, what we have to offer. It’s an opportunity to open the eyes of both media and planners – to inspire, excite, and demonstrate the diversity of what we can do.
Every year we challenge ourselves to innovate, make it different, and worthy of the bucket-list incentive destination that we are.
What are the key developments across Australia should the MICE industry know about?
The hotel pipeline over the last few years has been phenomenal. Almost 270 new hotels have opened around the country, and around 60 to 70 per cent of those are luxury hotels so ideal for the incentive market.
Here in Melbourne, we’ve had the W Hotel and 1 Hotel brands make their debut, the first Mondrian property in Australia opened on the Gold Coast, plus lots of new Marriott hotels, and the Crystalbrook hotels in Cairns. That’s replicated in every state and city, so if you’re looking for something new, you will find it.”
Are there particular regions experiencing strong or unexpected growth?
The cities always do well for incentive groups, but some regions are really benefiting from improved accessibility and infrastructure.
Far North Queensland is performing well thanks to Singapore Airlines increasing their aircraft capacity into Cairns. Gold Coast is also seeing strong growth, as are South Australia and Perth. Perth is benefiting from the direct London–Perth flight, and in 2027 we’ll have the Sydney–London direct flights with Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which is a super exciting development.
One of our greatest strengths is how easy it is to do multi-destination programs. Our domestic aviation network is very strong and easy to navigate. Our research tells us that 38 per cent of people coming for a business event will go on to a second, if not a third destination. It comes back to Australia being a bucket list destination, and people wanting to see more and do more when they are here.”
Sustainability is a key concern for international planners. What actions is Tourism Australia taking?
We think of sustainability in the holistic sense – the environmental side, the cultural side, and the economic sustainability side. It is not a new thing for us.
We have a national sustainability to guide us, and all our own events are carbon neutral including Australia Next, but we make sure we are not just offsetting. We offset as little as possible by mitigating first.
On the aviation side, we know that people need to fly to get here, but sustainable aviation fuel is developing, and we have made a commitment to that as an industry and a government. There are also next generation aircraft coming that are greener and more sustainable.
On the ground, our product makes it easy. Many of our venues are world leading – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was the first in the world to receive a six-star Green Star rating – and Adelaide has a food waste system recognised as the best in the world by EarthCheck. Local hotel groups like Crystalbrook are also very sustainable.
One thing you might not know is that Tasmania is already net zero as a destination. Linking to the CSR side of sustainability, purposeful travel is key. You might be doing a citizen science project or the Reef Connect project when you are up north, which is about visiting but also educating yourself, giving back, and leaving a positive impact. They are doing amazing work.
We are also blessed with our bureaus and our DMCs. They are such high quality in what they do. They can help any planner meet their sustainability goals, and they drive the conversation because it is important to them as well.
How can planners incorporate Indigenous culture into their programs in an authentic way?
It is such an important element. We are really blessed to have the world’s oldest living culture here in Australia, and no one else can claim that. We live it as an organisation in what we do, and we share with planners how they can make it authentic and bring it into their programs.
It can be a Welcome to Country, a dot painting class, a cooking class, an arts experience, or a traditional dance. It is so varied. The soprano who performed this morning was a great example, using traditional language in her performance. There are so many ways to include it.
Education is a big part of it. The Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and Sydney have storytellers who bring traditional bush medicine to life from a tree you would normally walk past without knowing. That kind of authentic storytelling makes it very easy to immerse yourself.
If you had to give international planners three reasons why Australia should be on their destination shortlist, what would they be?
First, it is the depth and diversity we offer as a destination. That is especially important if you have repeat visits. We are very blessed with our repeat visitation. We are often seen as a bucket list destination, but then people come back, so the depth and diversity really matter.
Second, we genuinely over-deliver as a destination. Our research tells us we exceed expectations in every category. People think we are safe and secure, they expect great nature and wildlife, and food and drink are less well known, but we exceed them all.
And third, it is the Aussie welcome. That warmth is something people remember and talk about, and it really sets us apart.
What keeps Australia competitive globally?
I think the word-of-mouth element of what we can do is very powerful. We work hard to stay top of mind with media, with delegates, and with planners, and to get them here, because there is nothing like experiencing Australia firsthand. It is a hugely competitive market, but we know our campaign cuts through.
The leisure campaign you are seeing in the UK is performing in the top one percent of adverts for cut-through. Eighty-eight percent of people who see it take the next step in planning and put Australia on their consideration list. It works. We are very active in our marketing and in staying top of mind.
We also have such a strong cultural connection with the UK, and we really lean into that. It helps us stay competitive.