Australia Next 2025

Australia Next is Tourism Australia’s signature incentive event that provides Business Events Australia the opportunity to showcase Australia’s exceptional business events capabilities firsthand to international planners.

In 2025 the host city program was held in Melbourne / Narrm in partnership with Melbourne Convention Bureau. Over the course of three days, 94 international business events planners and 14 media had the opportunity to connect with 97 Australian industry seller organisations through networking events including a dedicated business session.

From world-class venues and outstanding accommodation to unique experiences and exceptional food and wine, the Australia Next 2025 shined a light on what Melbourne / Narrm can deliver for an incentive program.

The host city program officially kicked off with the Australia Next Business Session, held at CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, where international planners and media had the opportunity to meet and conduct business during one-on-one appointments. The day concluded with the Welcome Event, held at The Commons Collective, hosted by Melbourne Convention Bureau.

Day two started with the networking Breakfast at 1Hotel Melbourne, a newly opened hotel located on the Yarra River. Held in the unique ballroom bathed in natural light, the breakfast highlighted Melbourne’s iconic coffee offering and fresh produce, whilst providing a surprise and delight moment with a performance by a local school choir.

Planners and media departed breakfast to explore Melbourne / Narrm and surrounding regions for the day. They had the opportunity to sample fresh produce straight from the source, taste award winning wines, see Australian wildlife, experience the regions hot springs, go behind the scenes of one of Australia’s iconic sporting venues and experience the warm hospitality that Australia’s business events industry is known for.

The Melbourne program concluded with the Australia Next Dinner at the Royal Exhibition Building hosted by Tourism Australia. The dinner highlighted the city’s rich cultural diversity through an immersive evening of creativity and artistry in a unique venue. Our international guests dined on a menu celebrating Australian produce, listened to Australian performers and networked with Australian industry.

As part of the Australia Next 2025 program, planners and media were hosted on a pre or post famil in a second destination across the country. Hosted in partnership with Australian convention bureaux, the famils highlighted the depth and breadth of Australia’s business events offering in Adelaide / Tarntanya, Brisbane / Meanjin, Cairns / Gimuy, Gold Coast, Hobart / nipulana, Perth / Boorloo, Sydney / Warrane and regional Victoria.

The Australia Next event is an integral part of Business Events Australia’s distribution activity to showcase why there’s nothing like Australia for business events. The success of the event is measured by planners, media and Australian industry completing a post event survey to capture the return on investment.

The survey results indicate 100 per cent of buyers were satisfied with Australia Next 2025 and 100 per cent were more likely to consider Australia having attended the event. Melbourne / Narrm made an impact on planners with 100 per cent of buyers indicating they were satisfied with Melbourne as a business events destination.