Melbourne Hosts Australia Next 2025: Why the Return of This Global Incentive Travel Showcase Is Set to Ignite a Business Tourism Boom Across The Region!

Published on December 4, 2025

The city of Melbourne is once again in the spotlight as Tourism Australia (in partnership with Melbourne Convention Bureau) rolls out its signature business‑events showcase, Australia Next 2025, from 1 to 3 December 2025 in the vibrant precinct of Melbourne/Narrm. This marks the first time since 2013 that Melbourne has hosted the incentive travel showcase — a decision that signals renewed confidence in the city’s global appeal and infrastructure.

For many international attendees — the 95 invited business‑events planners, 97 Australian sellers and 14 global media representatives present this week — the atmosphere is one of eager anticipation. The aim is simple: reintroduce Australia as a leading global player for incentive travel, business events, corporate retreats and more.

What Is Australia Next 2025 — And Why It Matters

Australia Next is Tourism Australia’s flagship platform designed to showcase the country’s incentive‑travel credentials through curated meetings (B2B), immersive experiences, and “familiarisation” trips that stretch beyond Melbourne into destinations across the continent.

For 2025, the programme opens with business sessions at a purpose‑built venue — CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park — where planners meet Australian event sellers in pre‑scheduled appointments. In the days to follow, participants will get a taste of Melbourne’s lifestyle — culture, dining, arts — along with access to Australia’s broader destination portfolio through familiarisation trips to regional Victoria, Cairns/Gimuy, Brisbane/Meeanjin, Gold Coast, Sydney/Warrane, Perth/Boorloo, Adelaide/Tarntanya and Hobart/Nipaluna.

This blend of business and leisure — known as “bleisure” or incentive‑travel — is a cornerstone of Tourism Australia’s global strategy. By enabling planners to experience Australia firsthand, the country aims to lock in future corporate events, conferences, incentive trips and group travel far beyond this year.

Melbourne’s Allure: Why It’s the Perfect Host City

Melbourne brings more than just conference halls to the table. The city is celebrated for a potent mix of culture, art, gastronomy, creative energy, and world‑class hospitality — all of which make it a strong contender for corporate groups looking for more than just meetings.

From high‑end hotels to boutique venues, from laneways rich in street‑art and café culture to trendy restaurants and sophisticated dining, Melbourne promises a seamless blend of professionalism and leisure. As the CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau recently highlighted, the city delivers “world‑class dining, cultural richness, and unforgettable experiences.”

Moreover, its accessibility — both international and domestic — and its positioning as a gateway to major Australian regions and experiences make it ideal for global planners seeking to combine business events with travel flair.

International Participation & Global Outreach — Who’s Here and Why It Matters

This year’s Australia Next 2025 has drawn interest from across the world. Delegates hail from key markets such as North America, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, South Korea, and Japan. The breadth of this participation underscores Australia’s ambition to diversify its source markets and leverage global demand for corporate incentives and group travel.

For Australia’s tourism‑industry stakeholders — hotels, event venues, destination management companies — this mix of global buyers and local sellers represents a lucrative opportunity: long‑term contracts, corporate events, repeat incentive trips, and a chance to build a sustainable pipeline of business travel. As per Tourism Australia’s own reflections on the previous edition (held in Cairns/Gimuy), such showcases have delivered substantial business leads — a trend they expect to replicate or surpass this year.

Beyond the Convention Room — What Travelers and Planners Can Expect

For those attending — or future clients considering Australia — the benefits extend beyond the boardroom. Melbourne’s vibrant urban culture, food scene, art, and entertainment offer teams or corporate groups the chance to blend work with relaxation, bonding and cultural immersion.

For international planners, the post‑show familiarisation itineraries serve as a sampler platter of Australia: from coastal paradises to city chic, from natural marvels to curated luxury experiences. This positions Australia not just as a corporate‑event hub, but as a destination for holistic incentive travel — combining reward, recharge, team‑building and exploration.

This model of “see it, feel it, believe it” — where planners experience Australia’s breadth — reinforces the country’s appeal as a long‑term choice for incentive travel, not just a one‑off event.

What This Means for the Broader Travel Industry — Opportunity & Growth

Australia Next 2025 isn’t just a showcase; it’s a strategic signal. It reflects Australia’s intent to reclaim and expand its global share in incentive travel and business events, especially in a post‑pandemic world where corporate travel and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) are resurging.

With Melbourne back on the map for such high‑profile gatherings, other Australian regions — including coastal and regional destinations — stand to benefit too, as the familiarisation tours bring spotlight beyond the major cities. For hotel chains, boutique resorts, regional tour operators, and specialised incentive‑travel providers, this could mark the beginning of a sustained wave of global corporate interest.

For international travel sellers and consultants — particularly in growing outbound markets — this is a window of opportunity to design incentive packages around Australia’s unique mix of culture, nature, luxury and corporate‑readiness.

What Australia Next 2025 Means for People

For many delegates arriving in Melbourne, it’s more than a business trip — it’s a chance to rediscover passion for travel, to build connections and to experience a place that blends sophistication with warmth. The vibrant laneways, café culture, art murals and fine food promise not just corporate meetings but genuine memories.

For the people behind hotels, venues and tours — this event represents hope, revival, and renewed livelihoods. As global travellers walk through hotel lobbies, stroll city streets, taste local dishes, and bond over shared experiences, they contribute to rebuilding lives and communities powered by tourism.

Australia Next 2025 is more than an industry expo — it’s a story of renewal, opportunity, and global connection.