By Gwen OToole

The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, has stated Australia’s tourism industry will benefit from Sydney winning the right to host an international symposium on the luxury travel sector.

The invitation-only event facilitated by luxury retail travel consortia Virtuoso aims to increase Australia’s profile and amongst high spending international travelers.

“The travel agents and suppliers traveling to Sydney next year specialise in the luxury market throughout North and South America and the Caribbean. They can clearly be very important to Australian tourism as they have the potential to bring the highest spending visitors to our shores,” the Minister said.

 “Staging the symposium in Australia gives our industry’s luxury suppliers an exceptional opportunity to showcase their products and services; many of which the symposium delegates will be able to experience first hand.”

The 2009 Virtuoso Symposium will take place in Sydney between April 20 and April 27 next year and is expected to welcome more than 400 delegates including travel agents, suppliers, and other travel industry representatives. It will also attract CEO’s of Virtuoso’s principal suppliers, including leading international cruise lines, airlines and hotels.

Tourism Australia has established a partnership with Virtuoso that includes training and educating the 6,000 Virtuoso agents throughout the Americas about Australian travel experiences, as well as joint marketing activity.