ATE27 runs 16–20 May 2027 at ICC Sydney. Seller and buyer fees, application deadlines, the appointment system, famils and who can attend Tourism Australia's exchange.
Cover image: The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) at Darling Harbour, venue of ATE27 (2017 file photo) — photo by Philip Terry Graham, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Australian Tourism Exchange 2027 (ATE27) runs from Sunday 16 to Thursday 20 May 2027 at ICC Sydney, and applications are open now: sellers must apply by 13 November 2026, and buyers who apply by 11 November pay the A$850 early-bird fee instead of A$1,100. ATE is Tourism Australia's annual business-to-business exchange, where Australian tourism operators meet the international travel trade in pre-scheduled 15-minute appointments. The 47th edition is delivered with host state partner Destination NSW.
There is no ticket at the door: every delegate is an accepted seller, an invited buyer or another approved participant. Facts below are as of 1 November 2026.
Who exhibits and who attends the Australian Tourism Exchange?
ATE26, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 10 to 14 May 2026, brought together 1,400 Australian sellers from 674 organisations and 730 buyers from 668 organisations in 32 countries, who held 56,000 appointments, according to the organiser. Tourism Australia put total attendance at more than 2,900.
Sellers are Australian tourism businesses with international market-ready products, plus regional and state tourism bodies, in booths grouped by state and territory. Buyers are the distribution side: inbound and national tour operators, destination management companies, online travel and online B2B companies, and retail and wholesale travel firms that package and sell Australia overseas. The ATE Luxe programme, in its seventh year, is for buyers selling itineraries worth at least A$1,200 per person per day, land only.
How to attend ATE27: applications, fees and deadlines
Both sides apply online with a unique email address. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
Sellers must be Australian-registered organisations paying tax in Australia, focused on tourism, with commissionable product, wholesale and retail rates, a website and an Australian Tourism Data Warehouse listing. Their state or territory tourism organisation must endorse the product as internationally active, and public liability insurance of at least A$10 million per occurrence is mandatory.
Buyers apply after a personal invitation from Tourism Australia and must be senior decision makers, product or contract managers or retail agents with a proven commitment to selling Australia. Preference goes to buyers based outside Australia; the ATE27 contact page lists a buyer contact for each source market. Buyers must attend all four appointment days.
| Pass | Fee (A$, incl. GST) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Seller primary delegate | 5,995 | 2m x 2.5m booth, appointment schedule, full programme and meals |
| Seller additional delegate | 1,260 | Full programme; shares the primary schedule |
| Seller day pass, Monday | 780 | Show floor on 17 May plus the Welcome Event |
| Seller day pass, Tuesday to Thursday | 550 | One day, show floor only |
| Buyer, based outside Australia | 850 early bird, 1,100 standard | Appointment schedule and five nights' accommodation |
| Buyer, based in Australia | 850 early bird, 1,100 standard | Appointment schedule; no accommodation |
Seller offers go out from 8 December 2026, with payment due by 21 January 2027. Standard buyer applications run from 12 November to 11 December 2026. Cancellation fees are 50% from 25 January 2027 and 100% from 15 February. Extra delegates, day passes and evening-event passes (A$330 Welcome Event, A$120 The Last Shout) open in early December for accepted organisations. Flights are never included, and Tourism Australia advises not booking travel until you are accepted.
Is it open to the public? No. ATE is a business-to-business event limited to accepted sellers, buyers and other approved delegates, and the organiser publishes no visitor, student or consumer registration. Media enquiries go to Tourism Australia's media contact on its ATE27 page.
Networking at ATE27: appointments and evening events
Appointments last 15 minutes, with three minutes to walk between them. Each schedule holds about 84 pre-scheduled slots and 10 free ones, with no guaranteed minimum, because matches depend on both sides' preferences. Preferencing runs from 2 to 25 March 2027, when sellers can exclude regions and buyers can exclude seller types. Schedules and online messaging open on 20 April 2027, the time to contact anyone you missed.
Appointment days run from 8.45am to between 4pm and 5.45pm. Evening events: the Welcome Event on Monday, a New South Wales showcase for buyers and NSW sellers on Tuesday, Happy Hour on Wednesday and The Last Shout on Thursday afternoon. A Solutions Hub hosts technology firms such as channel managers and booking platforms, which sellers can book to meet at their booths.
Pre- and post-show famils
Tourism Australia says international buyers will be able to experience Australia through pre- and post-event familiarisations, but ATE27 itineraries and dates had not been published as of 1 November 2026. Destination NSW invited NSW businesses to express interest in the ATE27 famil programme by 21 August 2026. As a guide, at ATE26 the South Australian Tourism Commission offered pre-famils of one to five nights (5 to 10 May 2026) and post-famils of one to four days (15 to 18 May), while other states took registrations of interest for their own trips. Luxe buyers get exclusive luxury famils. Buyer fees exclude meals and transfers outside the ATE and famil programme.
Getting to ICC Sydney and where to stay
ICC Sydney is at 14 Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, about 8 km and roughly 25 minutes by road from Sydney Airport, according to the venue. By public transport, take the train to Central, then walk or ride the L1 Dulwich Hill light rail to the Convention Centre or Exhibition Centre stops; Town Hall and Central stations are each about a 10-minute walk away. Tourism Australia's host-city announcement pointed to the opening of Western Sydney International Airport (see our report on its launch schedule), but the venue's directions start from Sydney Airport.
International primary buyers receive five nights' accommodation, 16 to 20 May 2027, which Tourism Australia says it is fully subsidising. Australia-based buyers get hotel partners' industry rates. Sellers book their own; the ATE27 site had no seller accommodation page as of 1 November 2026.
How does ATE compare with IPW?
The nearest equivalent is IPW, the U.S. Travel Association's inbound marketplace, from 2 to 6 May 2027 in New Orleans, two weeks before ATE27. Both rotate host cities and run on pre-scheduled appointments. IPW advertises more than 40 pre-scheduled appointments; an ATE27 schedule holds about 84 plus 10 free slots. For more, see our Asia-Pacific travel trade shows guide and the full travel trade show calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Australian Tourism Exchange 2027?
ATE27 runs from Sunday 16 to Thursday 20 May 2027 at ICC Sydney (International Convention & Exhibition Centre Sydney), 14 Darling Drive. Registration is on Sunday afternoon, and appointments run for four days, Monday 17 to Thursday 20 May. It is the 47th edition, delivered by Tourism Australia with Destination NSW.
Is the Australian Tourism Exchange open to the public?
No. ATE is a business-to-business event for accepted Australian tourism sellers and invited buyers from the global travel trade, and every delegate applies in advance. Tourism Australia publishes no visitor or consumer registration. Delegates must be employed or contracted by the company they represent, so relatives and friends cannot be nominated.
How much does it cost to attend the Australian Tourism Exchange?
For ATE27, a seller primary delegate pays A$5,995 including GST, covering a booth, an appointment schedule and programme meals; extra seller delegates cost A$1,260. Buyers pay A$850 if they apply by 11 November 2026, then A$1,100. International buyers receive five nights' accommodation. Flights are not included for anyone.
Does the Australian Tourism Exchange change city every year?
Yes. Tourism Australia runs each edition with a host state partner: ATE25 was in Brisbane, ATE26 at the Adelaide Convention Centre with the South Australian Tourism Commission, and ATE27 moves to ICC Sydney with Destination NSW, its first time in Sydney in five years. Sydney was announced at the close of ATE26; Tourism Australia's events pages named no 2028 host as of 1 November 2026.
How do I become a buyer at the Australian Tourism Exchange?
Buyers apply online through the ATE27 website after a personal invitation from Tourism Australia. Your company must be a tour operator, destination management company, online, retail or wholesale business that sells Australian product, and you must be a senior decision maker, product or contract manager or retail agent. Early-bird applications close on 11 November 2026, standard ones on 11 December.
Sources
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 event website
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 seller participation options
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 seller selection criteria
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 buyer participation options
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 buyer FAQ
- Tourism Australia, ATE26 wrap and ATE27 host city release (14 May 2026)
- Tourism Australia, ATE25 (Brisbane)
- Tourism Australia, ATE27 event and media contact
- Tourism Australia, ATE26 buyer familiarisation program
- Destination NSW, ATE27 expressions of interest (11 August 2026)
- ICC Sydney, Getting here
More upcoming Asia-Pacific travel trade shows
- 18–22 January 2027ASEAN Tourism Forum 2027Singapore, Singapore
- 15–17 February 2027AIME 2027Melbourne, Australia
- 2–4 April 2027MATTA Fair April 2027Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 11–13 May 2027TRENZ 2027Christchurch, New Zealand
- 25–27 May 2027ITB China 2027Shanghai, China
- 9–11 June 2027BBTF 2027Nusa Dua, Indonesia
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