Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Conference
2022-05-17 | Online
The annual Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Conference in the Asia-Pacific (AITCAP) event will be held on 17, 19, 24 and 26 May 2022. The conference will share how catering to the accessible and inclusive market promotes sustainable growth and creates great opportunities for the travel and tourism industry in the region.
Registrations now available: events.humanitix.com/aitcap-2022

Business Events Educational Workshop | Southern Highlands
2022-06-01 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | Mittagong RSL Club, Bessemer Street, Mittagong, NSW, 2575
You’re invited to the DSSS Business Events Educational Workshop

Destination Sydney Surrounds South are delighted to be hosting a series of Business Events Educational Workshops in partnership with sector experts Mayvin Global, as part of the Business Events Industry Development and Mentoring Program.

The half day workshops include an interactive program, to provide suppliers with practical tips to help their understanding and approach to business events. The workshops will feature speakers – including Destination NSW (Regional Conferencing unit) and business events experts Deanna Varga and Joanne Motta.

Delegates can expect to learn from case studies and group problem solving to equip themselves with skills and resources to attract business events and collaborate with other suppliers.

Thank you to Mittagong RSL Club for supporting this Business Events initiative.

Business Events Educational Workshop | Shoalhaven
2022-06-08 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | Bomaderry Bowling Club, 154 Meroo Road, Bomaderry, NSW, 2541
You’re invited to the DSSS Business Events Educational Workshop

Destination Sydney Surrounds South are delighted to be hosting a series of Business Events Educational Workshops in partnership with sector experts Mayvin Global, as part of the Business Events Industry Development and Mentoring Program.

The half day workshops include an interactive program, to provide suppliers with practical tips to help their understanding and approach to business events. The workshops will feature speakers – including Destination NSW (Regional Conferencing unit) and business events experts Deanna Varga and Joanne Motta.

Delegates can expect to learn from case studies and group problem solving to equip themselves with skills and resources to attract business events and collaborate with other suppliers.

Thank you to Bomaderry Bowling Club for supporting this Business Events initiative.

Business Events Educational Workshop | Wollongong
2022-06-09 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | Illawarra Steelers, 5 Burelli Street, Wollongong, NSW, 2500
You’re invited to the DSSS Business Events Educational Workshop

Destination Sydney Surrounds South are delighted to be hosting a series of Business Events Educational Workshops in partnership with sector experts Mayvin Global, as part of the Business Events Industry Development and Mentoring Program.

The half day workshops include an interactive program, to provide suppliers with practical tips to help their understanding and approach to business events. The workshops will feature speakers – including Destination NSW (Regional Conferencing unit) and business events experts Deanna Varga and Joanne Motta.

Delegates can expect to learn from case studies and group problem solving to equip themselves with skills and resources to attract business events and collaborate with other suppliers.

Thank you to Steelers for supporting this Business Events initiative.

Tourism Australia's industry webinar
2022-07-22 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Online
Hear from Minister for Trade and Tourism, and Special Minister of State, Senator the Hon Don Farrell.
Tourism Australia will also share some insights on the Future of Demand Project, which is based on research across 20 markets, uncovering the changing travel landscape, and identifying future travel sectors and opportunities.
Register here to attend the session

Healing Tourism, Healing Country introductory course
2022-07-27 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Online
Registrations are open for Regeneration Projects mini-series designed to share ideas and tools they developed while working with some of the most proactive Australian tourism organisations.
Topics include how to switch your thinking from sustaining to regenerating, how to grow your business by healing places, and how to form purposeful partnerships.
Find out more and register here.

Australian Festivals Industry Conference
2022-08-30 - 2022-09-01 | Sea World Resort, Gold Coast QLD
Australian Festivals Industry Conference (AFIC) is the only conference in Australia dedicated exclusively to servicing the thousands of festival industry professionals that make up today’s landscape.
AFIC will run over 2.5 days from Tuesday 30 August to Thursday 1 September. Program includes:

Keynotes and presentations from 15+ industry-leading professionals
Panel discussion: Covid-19 site planning and safety for festivals
Panel discussion: Workforce skills and labour shortages – planning for the future
Two evening networking events
Three workshops
Trade expo
Gold Coast familiarisation tour of HOTA

Tickets are on sale now.

Australian Regional Tourism (ART) Convention 2022
2022-10-10 - 2022-10-12 | Ballarat, Victoria
The ART Convention is a must-attend event for local councils, regional tourism organisations, tourism professionals, business and government personnel who wish to contribute to the future of regional tourism in Australia. The 2022 ART Convention theme is Regional Australia – Paving the way for a stronger Visitor Economy.
ART and convention partner, City of Ballarat, are pleased to be holding the 2022 ART Convention in Ballarat, Victoria, from 10-12 October 2022.
The Convention provides a forum to discuss, debate and investigate solutions to issues, challenges and opportunities facing regional tourism. The Convention is for all sectors of the tourism industry to exchange ideas about ways to grow a sustainable regional destination and to showcase best practice success.

Agritourism Conference
In 2022, ART will also be hosting the Agritourism Conference, a one-off event bringing together the agricultural and tourism sectors to unearth authentic regional Australian stories, and to better understand the opportunities and barriers of agritourism and development. ART are excited to deliver this additional day on Thursday 13 October to unlock this emerging sector aiming to influence policy and drive regulatory change.

National Economic Development Conference 2022
2022-10-12 - 2022-10-14 | Kimpton Margot Hotel
Excitement is building for the National Economic Development Conference (NEDC) 2022 to be held in Sydney from October 12-14.The program for Day 1 has been announced, giving delegates a choice of an immersive study tour to one of Australia’s most exciting cities or an interactive workshop on the critical issue of Housing Supply.

Wellness Tourism Summit
2022-10-13 - 2022-10-14 | The Tweed, NSW
Australia’s first Wellness Tourism Summit will be held in The Tweed on October 13 and 14 2022 convened by Katherine Droga, founder of Droga & co. and chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) Wellness Tourism Initiative.
The event aims to showcase the rapid growth and demand in the wellness sector and the opportunities for tourism businesses across Australia. This thought leadership event has been designed for media, tourism operators, destinations, travel distributors, government, wellness suppliers and practitioners.
The program has been designed to deep dive into consumer insights and trends and reimagine wellness travel featuring a panel of leading international and local wellness experts.

Sustainable Trails Conference 2022
2022-11-01 08:00 - 2022-11-03 17:00 UTC
TRC Tourism invite you to join them in November 2022 for Australia and New Zealand’s leading sustainable recreational trails event. Meeting on lutruwita country (North East Tasmania), Australia’s smallest but most geographically diverse state. Home to world-famous walks like the Overland Track, Wineglass Bay, the South Coast Track and the Three Capes Track and world-class mountain biking parks like Blue Derby and Maydena. The three-day conference brings together a broad discipline of trail interests — trail users, designers, planners, land managers, volunteers, clubs and construction experts to share, connect and learn what is driving the trails industry.
Join them and hear from leading professionals on sustainable trail development, management and marketing. Discover stunning landscapes and unique animals and plants as we explore the epic trails that traverse through Tasmania’s natural wonders.

Destination Australia 2023
2023-03-16 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | ICC Sydney, NSW
Tourism Australia will host Destination Australia 2023 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney on Thursday 16 March. The event, themed ‘Come and Say G’day’, will look to celebrate the opportunities for the future of Australian tourism and will be followed by a networking event.
Event registrations are now open. Register here

ECO Think | Destination Forum
2023-03-28 08:00 - 2023-03-30 17:00 UTC
Ecotourism Australia (EA) is hosting its second annual ECO Think | Destination Forum on 28-30 March 2023. The ECO Think | Destination Forum creates a place for destination representatives to connect, share knowledge, learn from one another and be inspired to create sustainable change in their destinations. The forum will host a variety of representatives from ECO and Sustainable Tourism Destinations, representatives from state and regional tourism organisations, Ecotourism Australia members and other sustainability and destination management experts.

Visitor Economy Symposium 2023
2023-05-25 09:00 - 18:00 UTC
We are excited to announce a feature of the program will be Aboriginal Education Workshops with Gumaraa. Gumaraa is an Aboriginal cultural experience and education company that delivers authentic Indigenous experiences for all, based on the traditions of the Dharawal and Yuin Nation.The theme for the day is ‘Better Together’ and you’ll also hear from guest speakers and industry leaders, including Destination NSW and Tourism Australia.Get an insider update on an exciting new DSSS project ‘Face to Face Fundamentals’ with Aaron Matis, our Industry Development Manager. Deep dive in to key sector topics, such as agritourism, skills, EV charging stations and much more!
WHEN: Thursday 25th May, 2023
TIME: 9am to 4.30pm, with networking to follow
WHERE: The Pavilion Kiama
All welcome. We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you there!

LGNSW Destination & Visitor Economy Conference
2023-05-29 08:00 - 2023-05-31 17:00 UTC
29-31 May, 2023 – Manly
Save the Date! Learn from experts and peers within the industry for insights to nurture and unlock the full potential of sustainable visitor economy growth and community prosperity.

Business Events Practical Workshop - Southern Highlands
2023-11-02 10:00 - 15:00 UTC | Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral, 7 Boronia Street, Bowral, NSW
DSSS is again undertaking industry development for venues and suppliers interested in building their Business Events capabilities, and we are pleased to partner with Mayvin Global to deliver the latest iteration of the program.
The first of two in-person workshops specially designed for senior events and sales staff in venues and business owners already targeting corporate groups, to strengthen your skills in proposal writing, sites visits and much more!
Key takeaways that participants can expect from this highly interactive and hands-on session:

Workshops format with interactive involvement throughout the day. This is interactive learning.
Understanding of the role of infrastructure when we talk about business events. How to use what you have in your region to your advantage.
Talk through the economic drivers in the regions and how these support your client and business event opportunity identification.
Hands-on exercise to hone proposal writing skills in responding to RFPs. We’ll ask you to bring proposal templates that we’ll work through and improve. If you think ‘you are doing this well already’ – then please join the session. Feedback from buyers, improvement is needed!
Panel discussion with a local Venue Finder, DNSW Regional Conferencing team and one other important play in attracting business events to the region – includes opportunity to ask questions.
How AI is being used in business events with opportunities to use a dedicated business events AI tool. (may be connectivity reliant).
A site inspection of the host venue facilities. This will include walking learning and discussion including good practice. We’ll talk about site inspections versus famils and how this might be delivered at this venue and how you can apply that to your business.

Morning tea and a light lunch will be provided.
Two sessions are being held and Attendees are welcome to attend whichever session is most convenient. Session dates:

Southern Highlands session – Thursday 2nd November at Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral: REGISTER HERE
South Coast session – Wednesday 8th November at The Sebel Harbourside Kiama: register for this session instead

Business Events Practical Workshop - South Coast
2023-11-08 10:00 - 15:00 UTC | The Sebel Harbourside Kiama, 2 Minnamurra Street, Kiama, NSW
DSSS is again undertaking industry development for venues and suppliers interested in building their Business Events capabilities, and we are pleased to partner with Mayvin Global to deliver the latest iteration of the program.
The second of two in-person workshops specially designed for senior events and sales staff in venues and business owners already targeting corporate groups, to strengthen your skills in proposal writing, sites visits and much more!
Key takeaways that participants can expect from this highly interactive and hands-on session:

Workshops format with interactive involvement throughout the day. This is interactive learning.
Understanding of the role of infrastructure when we talk about business events. How to use what you have in your region to your advantage.
Talk through the economic drivers in the regions and how these support your client and business event opportunity identification.
Hands-on exercise to hone proposal writing skills in responding to RFPs. We’ll ask you to bring proposal templates that we’ll work through and improve. If you think ‘you are doing this well already’ – then please join the session. Feedback from buyers, improvement is needed!
Panel discussion with a local Venue Finder, DNSW Regional Conferencing team and one other important play in attracting business events to the region – includes opportunity to ask questions.
How AI is being used in business events with opportunities to use a dedicated business events AI tool. (may be connectivity reliant).
A site inspection of the host venue facilities. This will include walking learning and discussion including good practice. We’ll talk about site inspections versus famils and how this might be delivered at this venue and how you can apply that to your business.

Morning tea and a light lunch will be provided.
Two sessions are being held and Attendees are welcome to attend whichever session is most convenient. Session dates:

Southern Highlands session – Thursday 2nd November at Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral: register for this session instead
South Coast session – Wednesday 8th November at The Sebel Harbourside Kiama: REGISTER HERE

Leveraging Technology Workshop - Merimbula
2024-02-19 08:30 - 11:00 UTC | Club Sapphire, 119 Main Street, Merimbula, NSW, 2548, Australia
The Centre of Excellence is delivering a series of workshops on how tourism and hospitality operators can leverage technology to streamline their businesses.
The workshop will include the following topics:

Introduction to the Current Landscape: a brief overview of the challenges and opportunities faced by tourism and hospitality operators.
The Power of Technology in Tourism: exploring how technology can be a game-changer for small and medium tourism businesses, with a focus on practical, cost-effective solutions.
Tech Solutions for Streamlining Operations: detailed insights into AI that can help streamline business operations, manage resources more effectively, and enhance efficiency.
Enhancing Customer Experience through Technology: strategies to improve customer engagement and satisfaction using AI looking at social media marketing, email marketing and online booking platforms.
Real-World Success Stories: sharing case studies or examples of local or similar businesses that have successfully integrated technology to overcome challenges and grow.
Interactive Session: an opportunity for attendees to discuss their specific challenges and explore tailored technological solutions.

CLICK TO REGISTER
For more information, download the workshop flyer.

Leveraging Technology Workshop - Narooma
2024-02-20 08:30 - 11:00 UTC | Club Narooma, 88 Princes Highway, Narooma, NSW, 2546, Australia

Leveraging Technology Workshop - Ulladulla
2024-02-21 08:30 - 11:00 UTC | Ulladulla Civic Centre, 81B Princes Highway, Ulladulla, NSW, Australia

Leveraging Technology Workshop - Nowra
2024-02-22 08:30 - 11:00 UTC | Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, 42 Bridge Road, Nowra, NSW, 2541

WSET Level 2 Award in Wines - Shoalhaven
2024-03-04 - 2024-03-06 | Worrigee Sports Club, 131 Greenwell Point Road, Worrigee, NSW, 2540
The South Coast Centre of Excellence is offering a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2 Award course in the Shoalhaven and invites you or members of your team who are involved in the sale or service of wine to apply to attend this three-day course. There are only a limited number of funded places available
This is an internationally recognised course that requires a minimum of 28 hours of study time:

16 hours of delivery time with the WSET course trainer
11 hours of personal study and revision
A one-hour examination

The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines provides an industry-standard introduction to the main styles of wine available to font-line staff involved in the service or sales of wine. This qualification aims to deliver the product knowledge and skills required to prepare a person for employment in wine hospitality or retail and is recognised in over 70 countries.
Through a combination of tasting and theory, the participants will explore factors that impact style and quality and learn how to describe these styles with confidence
Course content includes:

Factors influencing style including climate and production methods
Explore 22 grape varieties by style and quantity
Over 70 important wine-producing regions of the world
Sparkling, sweet, and fortified wine styles
Information and advice for customers and staff
How to taste and describe wine

Who is Eligible to Apply
The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines is a beginner to intermediate level qualification exploring wines suitable for industry professionals. This qualification is intended for beginners wishing to learn about a wide range of wines.
The Centre of Excellence is offering this opportunity to those operators who would like to develop the wine knowledge of their staff. The staff members must have a minimum of 12 months working in the delivery of wine service and must be supported by their employer to undertake the course.
The course is fully funded for those in the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla, and Bega Valley local government areas. Those outside these regions can attend, subject to course numbers, however a fee will apply. Please contact Sam Tooley (sam.tooley@dnsss.com.au) for details.
All participants must be over the age of 18. Meals will be provided (morning tea / lunch / afternoon tea).
As the numbers to attend this course will be limited, please be sure that you complete the registration form and return before 14 February 2024. Multiple bookings from individual venues will be considered, subject to demand.
For more information on the course please contact Sam Tooley: sam.tooley@dnsss.com.au
Download the WSET Award Courses flyer here.
APPLY HERE

Managing Seasonality in Tourism & Hospitality - Merimbula
2024-03-18 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | Club Sapphire, 119 Main Street, Merimbula, NSW, 2548, Australia
Seasonal demand. It’s one of the greatest challenges for any business, particularly for tourism and hospitality operators. Both feasts and famines have their issues. Either your business can’t keep up with demand, or there’s not enough work to pay the bills and keep your staff employed.
Almost every business experiences seasonal fluctuation in sales and cash flow. Some fluctuations are predictable, certain holidays, popular holiday periods or weather seasons. But others, like a crisis that suddenly cuts sales, are unpredictable. The key is knowing how to manage these seasonal cycles and implement practices to reduce the impact.
The Centre of Excellence is conducting a series of workshops that will focus on key factors to assist your business to better prepare for the peaks and troughs. These include:

Marketing strategies
Online presence
Brand and collateral
Social media campaigns
Managing employees
Storytelling
Diversification, off peak and mid-week
Collaboration and networking

Presenters

The workshops will be presented by local visitor economy specialists Catherine Shields and Kate Mather, both are well-known across the region and have extensive industry experience.
The workshop content will provide practical advice and strategies that you will be able to apply directly to your own business.
Registration begins at 8:30am. Morning tea and a light lunch will be served.
CLICK TO REGISTER
For more information, download the workshop flyer.

Managing Seasonality in Tourism & Hospitality - Narooma
2024-03-19 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | Club Narooma, 88 Princes Highway, Narooma, NSW, 2546, Australia

Managing Seasonality in Tourism & Hospitality - Batemans Bay
2024-03-20 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | Bay Pavilions, 12 Vesper Street, Batemans Bay, NSW, 2536, Australia

Managing Seasonality in Tourism & Hospitality - Ulladulla
2024-03-21 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | Ulladulla Civic Centre, 81B Princes Highway, Ulladulla, NSW, Australia

Managing Seasonality in Tourism & Hospitality - Nowra
2024-03-22 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, 42 Bridge Road, Nowra, NSW, 2541

Business Events NSW Showcase
2024-05-15 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Collider, 477 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
Destination NSW is inviting regional NSW stakeholders to deliver immersive and sensory experiences at its upcoming Business Events NSW Showcase.
Partnering with Destination NSW at the event is an exciting opportunity to generate business event leads and raise buyer consideration for products, services or regions.
The showcase will be held at Sydney’s Collider on 15 May 2024 and will connect regional NSW businesses with Sydney-based corporate, association, government and professional conference organisation buyers.
It will also highlight Destination NSW’s fresh approach to growing the business events sector in regional NSW. Business Events NSW has new ‘Corporate events that feel anything but’ messaging that aligns to the ‘Feel New’ visitor brand and positions regional NSW as the meetings and events destination for businesses who seek unique, tailor-made experiences that spark a genuine connection among delegates.
There are a range of different partnership opportunities available for the Business Events NSW Showcase, each with specific selection criteria and inclusions.

Employers - Plan for Tomorrow webinar
2024-05-23 10:00 - 11:00 (Australia/Melbourne)
Choose Tourism NSW will present a webinar on how you
can future proof your business, with customised training
for the next generation of workers.
Date: Thursday 23 May 2024
Time: 10 am – 11 am
The webinar will be led by experts who will provide
practical advice on training opportunities, to support
employers and share tips on attracting, developing and
retaining staff. This will include case studies on how
regional businesses have had success in working with
their local schools to attract trainees.

Visitor Economy Symposium 2024
2024-06-04 09:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral, 7 Boronia Street, Bowral, NSW
We are excited to announce the DSSS Visitor Economy Symposium is returning in 2024!
Being held on Tuesday 4th June at Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral, the theme for the day will be ‘Navigating Challenging Times’.
In these turbulent times for businesses, the DSSS Visitor Economy Symposium is designed with your real-world challenges in mind. We will be focusing on delivering you tangible, practical outcomes that you can implement to support your business.
Along with developing a toolbox full of new tips and tricks, you’ll also be able to connect with fellow business owners and industry experts who understand the journey you’re on.
Keep an eye out for updates on our jam-packed workshop-style program including the speakers we’ve lined up – pop the 4th of June in your diary, we look forward to seeing you!
