Ballarat welcomes the nation’s tourism experts

All things tourism will be explored next week in Ballarat, with the nation’s tourism experts descending on Ballarat for a comprehensive regional tourism conference, the Australian Regional Tourism Convention.  

The convention will be held from 10 to 12 October 2022 at the Mercure Ballarat. It will display the best of regional tourism across the country, whilst highlighting the visitor economy of Ballarat. 

The theme for the convention is ‘Regional Australia – Paving the way for a stronger Visitor Economy’ and it is a must attend for local governments, tourism organisations, tourism professionals, local businesses, and government personnel. 

Attendees can expect to hear from a wide range of tourism professionals and businesses from across Australia. The event will feature Gorgi Coghlan of the Provincial Hotel as the master of ceremonies and includes speakers from Ballarat, such as Gorgi Coghlan of Provincial Hotel, Sara Quon of Sovereign Hill, David Cook-Doulton of Hotel Vera and even the City of Ballarat’s Executive Manager of Visitor Economy, Sarah Pilgrim. 

Australian Regional Tourism are expecting up to 200 delegates to attend the three-day program and many will be staying on-site at the Mercure and surrounding accommodation providers. 

The City of Ballarat is proud to offer conference attendees an amazing Ballarat and local surrounds experience. On Monday 10 October, before the conference kicks off, attendees have been invited to select one of four curated familiarisation experiences:  

• The Producer: taste your way around some of the amazing producers in the Ballarat and Pyrenees regions. 

• Major Attractions: visit some of Ballarat’s favourite destinations, Sovereign Hill, and the Ballarat Wildlife Park. 

• Indulgence: Indulge in wellness, food and accommodation throughout the CBD and the surrounding region of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. 

• Creative City: an exclusive walking tour that takes in the evolution of the City of Ballarat’s award-winning Creative City Strategy.   

The convention will get under way with a reception dinner at the iconic Sovereign Hill, followed by two days of exciting speakers and workshops before concluding with a gala dinner at recently restored The Goods Shed. 

Attendees also can dip their toes into Agritourism, with a full day of conferencing commencing on Thursday 13 October 2022 hearing from speakers on everything from the wine industry to First Nations agritourism at the National Agritourism Conference 

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Daniel Moloney said it’s fantastic to host a large event, mid-week to highlight to the nation what Ballarat has to offer in tourism and business events. 

“We are proud to offer attendees an incredible Ballarat experience, by seeing our city, attending our experiences, visiting our hospitality and conferencing venues and staying in our accommodation,” he said.  

For more information on the convention, visit the Australian Regional Tourism website here.