Ticket sales have opened for the 2026 CATO Travel Industry Christmas Lunch, taking place in December at a new waterfront venue in Sydney.
The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) will hold its annual Christmas Lunch at Le Montage, Lilyfield, on Thursday 3 December 2026, marking the event’s fifth year and its first since CATO’s integration into the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA).
The lunch runs from 11.30am to 3.30pm, followed immediately by the official After Party. More than 500 travel professionals from across Australia are expected to attend.
This year’s theme, Sparkle & Shine, calls on guests to arrive in festive cocktail attire. The programme includes dining, beverages, live entertainment and industry giveaways.
What’s new for the fifth year
The move to Le Montage gives the event a new waterfront home, with organisers noting tables sell out annually and recommending advisors lock in allocations early.
CATO is now a division of ATIA following the integration earlier this year, and the 2026 lunch is being positioned as a broader industry gathering as a result, coming after a recent Sydney gathering that honoured travel industry leaders as the touring body entered its new chapter.
Director of CATO & Education at ATIA Mira Yates says the event has always centred on the people behind the industry.
“The CATO Christmas Lunch has always been about celebrating the people and businesses that make our industry so special. Following the successful integration of CATO into ATIA earlier this year, this year’s event will be particularly meaningful as we welcome an even broader cross-section of the industry to celebrate the end of a landmark year.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to recognise everything we’ve achieved together, celebrate the beginning of an exciting new chapter, and look ahead to an even stronger future for our industry,” she says.
Tickets and corporate sponsorship slots are on sale now at cato.travel. Tables are recommended to be booked early, with the event historically selling out.
KARRYON UNPACKS: The CATO Christmas Lunch has become a fixture on the trade calendar, and 2026 marks its first outing under the ATIA banner following the integration. With a new waterfront venue and more than 500 attendees expected, it remains one of the year’s better opportunities for tour operators, wholesalers and advisors to close out the year face to face.
