The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) hosted its Beyond Borders on the Road event in Sydney, attracting 50 travel professionals for an essential session on compliance, advocacy, and marketing. Conducted at Cover-More’s North Sydney office and supported by TravelPay, the event provided vital updates and insights for the travel sector amidst ongoing challenges.

Attendees received updates from Qatar Airways regarding operations in the Middle East conflict, and ATIA CEO Dean Long shared proprietary consumer sentiment research. Notably, ATIA’s advocacy efforts saved accredited members significant costs, with a reported $14,000 in setup costs and $8,000 annually in ongoing fees. Nina Hedges, ATIA’s Director of Compliance, highlighted the significance of accreditation, comparing it to tuna: “It’s what ATIA rejects that makes ATIA accredited businesses the best.”

Additionally, the event featured a marketing masterclass led by Nicole O’Sullivan and Chris Fundell, focusing on personal branding and social media strategies. Participants left with practical worksheets to implement these strategies effectively.

Dean Long noted the unexpected enjoyment attendees found, stating, “The most common piece of feedback we got was that people didn’t expect to have so much fun. Compliance. Accreditation. Advocacy. Public policy. These are not words that make people rush to register for an event.”

The Beyond Borders series will continue in Brisbane on May 20, Adelaide on July 20, and Perth on July 22, culminating with the Beyond Borders Travel Summit on October 9 in Melbourne.