Dreamtime, the Australian Tourist Commission's (ATC) biennial incentive travel showcase, had its fifth outing recently, which is most likely to be the last in its current form. The event has largely comprised an intensive two-day trade show interspersed with a "full bells and whistles" familiarisation of Australian destinations.
The ATC traditionally hosts journalists specialising in writing about the conference and incentive (c&i) sectors, with this year's group including writers from India, Japan, Sweden, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Thailand.
The format of Dreamtime is not without its problems. One perennial gripe from the buyers is the post-trade show familiarisation often takes in destinations they wouldn't consider recommending to their clients.
This view is countered by the ATC with the argument that it's impossible for small groups of four or five travellers to get the true feel of the destination, whereas the Dreamtime exercise gives the participating destination the chance to develop themed events.
Equally important for the ATC is the educative impact of a Dreamtime familiarisation on the suppliers of transportation, accommodation and social events.
Through the Dreamtime experience, key destinations such as Central Australia, Tropical North Queensland and Western Australia have all been exposed to the rigorous standards set by the ATC for the staging of these events.
The Gold Coast did an excellent job of showcasing its many attractions and, in the main, the Asian buyers were most enthusiastic with the innovation and style of event. The retail cost of the three-night Gold Coast leg of the event is estimated to be around US$750,000.
The Dreamtime social programme is moving from being a total extravagance in corporate hospitality to a programme that shows the practical way incentive reward winners can experience the country at an affordable rate.
The ATC's organisational performance was outstanding, even to the extent of having several hundred umbrellas on hand at Sydney's Cockle Bay Wharf. When a chance shower started the umbrellas (duly badged with the Dreamtime logo) were used for the seven-minute walk back to the Sydney Convention and Exhibiiton Centre.
The trade-show activity in Sydney was combined with harbour cruises, Olympic Park inspections, BridgeClimb, breakfast among the pictures in the Art Gallery of New South Wales and a night of fun in a clear marquee with the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as backdrop.
It was a pity the ATC did not hold an event at Homebush Bay, home of the Sydney Olympic Games, as all the main venues, including Stadium Australia, are up and running to catch incentive travel business.
On the Gold Coast, the first afternoon was given over to the choices of golf, a river cruise or simply some free time to soak up the Queensland sun and recover from the effects of the celebrations in Sydney.
This free time is an important aspect of a familiarisation and something that is ignored to the extent that delegates become exhausted with all the activity and fail to truly appreciate the destination.
The Gold Coast organisers rustled up 150 Harley-Davidsons and their drivers to transfer the guests from a Surfers Paradise hotel to Dreamworld. An Australiana night followed, where the chill was kept at bay with traditional Aussie leather hats and warm fleecy jackets for all.
However, a number of delegates felt the dinner was substandard. Problems with microphones meant the animal keepers were unable to communicate with their audience.
The following day loomed clear and bright and, after a lavish beachside breakfast at the Sheraton Mirage and a surf carnival, the party moved on to Couran Cove, an eco-tourism development on South Stradbroke Island.
The visitors also had a chance to cycle around the island, inspect the world-class sporting facilities and relax on a perfect day. Lunch was then served in a restaurant overlooking a beautiful beach with the Gold Coast skyline in the distance.
For Taipei's Fantasy Travel Service director Robert Lee, the event helped crystallise his thinking about the Gold Coast as a business travel destination. He has used Australia for incentive travel reward programs and was impressed by the Gold Coast's variety. "The industry has worked well to co-ordinate such a showcase of life in a town well geared for tourists," he said.
A minor shortcoming of the programme was the fact that the hosts had been banking on the balmy sub-tropical Gold Coast climate for its outdoor events.
In fact, the nights were unusually cold. The evening at the Southport Pool with its pre-dinner diving display and poolside comedy act had the participants in danger of contracting hypothermia. Nonetheless, the evening was successful with several of the incentive buyers indicating they would consider the evening's format for their groups.
Mumbai-based Business India's senior correspondent Ms Bhakti Chuganee says there is great growth potential for incentive travel in the Indian middle class.
"The high technology sector is significant in India these days. Australia has a good image and has certainly gone to great lengths to put its best foot forward for Dreamtime," Ms Chuganee says.
Peter Stuyvesant Travel Services incentive manager in Kuala Lumpur Mr Simon Chung said there were strong signs that the Malaysian economy was recovering from its slump and that incentive travel was back on the agenda for many companies eager to retain key personnel.
"Malaysians know the Gold Coast well and it is popular with our clients. The region really works for us."
The Gold Coast Tourism Bureau's c&i sales manager Sandra Passaro said that Dreamtime was worth the effort, especially with Asian delegates.
"We've had strong interest from buyers in Singapore, Taiwan and Korea, with groups from 30-400 already in the pipeline. Couran Cove has attracted enquiries and the surf carnival has proved popular with Americans.
"On the strength of the response from Thailand and the turnaround in the Thai economy, we plan to further boost our marketing activity in that country," Ms Passaro says.
Dreamtime was held for the first time in conjunction with the ATC's Australian Tourist Exchange, which is undergoing significant change.
A review is underway as to whether to run Dreamtime annually, given the growing international competition for the incentive travel dollar.