North Coast Tourism Symposium Program
Thursday 1st August 2024
Creating World Class Experiences
What constitutes a world-class tourism experience? How can you make your tourism experience more memorable? Authentic? Unique? Can elements of story-telling and local history and culture be brought in to the experience you are delivering.
This year’s North Coast Tourism Symposium program sets out to explore changing trends and attitudes to travel and the experience economy. Our keynote speakers and presentations will challenge the concept of value creation through the execution of exceptional experiences and the need for an individualised, customer-centric approach to understanding and fulfilling the unique needs and desires of visitors.
The North Coast Tourism Symposium 2024 will inspire, challenge and provoke thoughtful discussion and we look forward to you joining us.
Symposium program
TIME |
PROGRAM |
| 8.30am – 8.45am | REGISTRATION OPEN – tea and coffee available |
| 8.45am – 9.10am | Welcome & Conference Opening |
| 9.10am – 9.55am | In conversation with Darrell Wade, Co-founder and Chairman of Intrepid Travel, entrepreneur, advocate on climate change and nature positive travel (facilitated by John O’Neill). |
| 9.55am – 10.25am | Destination Download – Michael Thurston General Manager, Destination North Coast. View presentation here. |
| 10.25am – 11.00am | Keynote – Wild At Heart – How a Crown Land Manager juggles its commitment to community, sustainability, and corporate citizenship with the romance of adventure tourism – Nick Baker, CEO, Reflections Holidays. View presentation here. |
| 11.00m – 11.30am | MORNING TEA |
| 11.30am – 12.00pm | Creativity meets the visitor economy – Libby Lincoln, Executive Director NORPA, World-class theatre in regional Australia |
| 12.00pm – 12.30 pm | Destination Highlight – Timmy Maxwell, Owner, The Island House Lord Howe Island & Ian Hutton, Naturalist, Photographer and Conservationist Lord Howe Island Nature Tours and Lord Howe Island Museum. View Timmy’s presentation here. View Ian’s presentation here. |
| 12.30pm – 1.10pm | How to create world class experiences to thrive in an evolving market – Panel Discussion – Darrell Wade, Nick Baker, Ann Walton, Libby Lincoln (facilitated by Michael Thurston) |
| 1.10pm – 2.10pm | LUNCH |
| 2.10pm – 2.20 pm | Post-lunch energiser session – 10 Minutes of Wellness – Peta Alexopoulos & Belinda Johnson, Positive Energy Adventures & Retreats |
| 2.20pm – 2.40pm | NSW Overview – Steve Cox, CEO Destination NSW. View presentation here. |
| 2.40pm – 3.10pm | Australia Overview – Bede Fennell, Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Government and Industry for Tourism Australia. View presentation here. |
| 3.10pm – 3.30pm | Destination Showcase – “ Elevated World-Class Tourism Experience in Port Macquarie Hastings” – Duncan Coulton, Destination co-hosts Port Macquarie Hastings Council |
| 3.30pm – 3.45pm | Key take-aways & Symposium wrap-up. Lord Howe Island Door Prize Draw – Michael Thurston |
Revisit content delivered on the day via the session recordings.
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