Queensland is taking centre stage at the 45th Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) 2025 in Brisbane/Meanjin, and according to Craig Davidson, the newly appointed CEO of Tourism and Events Queensland, the Sunshine State is more than ready to meet the moment. Karryon’s Matt Leedham finds out more.
If you needed any more proof that Queensland is having a moment, you only had to walk through the showfloor at ATE 2025 this week at the Brisbane Convention and Events Centre.
With more than 2,400 delegates taking part in over 60,000 appointments, this year marks the biggest ATE in the event’s 45-year history. And the sunshine smiles are everywhere, in conversations, on the trade floor, and on the lips of buyers and sellers who can’t help but notice the energy and excitement coming out of Brisbane and beyond.
Leading the charge is highly respected industry leader Craig Davidson, the new CEO of Tourism and Events Queensland, who’s making no secret of his ambitions just five weeks into the gig.
“I like the line that Australia is where it’s all happening,” Davidson told Karryon, grinning. “But to be blunt, within Australia, Queensland is where it’s all happening.”
It’s been 18 years since the city last hosted ATE in 2007. Not surprisingly, then, Brisbane was more than ready to welcome the world back to the river city in style. “Hosting ATE here in Brisbane is a huge privilege,” Davidson said.
“It’s a showcase of everything we’ve been working so hard to rebuild and evolve: our culture, our experiences, our aviation connections, and our spirit of welcome.
This is Queensland’s time, and we’re so proud to share it with the world.”
All around, the stories of Queensland’s evolution were there, from ancient cultures to reefs, rainforests, and Akubra’s and the outback, with bold new experiences ready to greet a world that’s travelling differently. There were even women dressed up as pineapples.
“This week is about showing, not telling, what makes Queensland so special,” Davidson added.
Aviation: Connecting Queensland to the World
For Queensland, it’s not just about great experiences, it’s about making sure travellers can get here. Davidson knows aviation is the lifeblood of everything that comes next.
“We’ve worked very hard, as Tourism Australia has, to bring tourists back to Queensland,” he said.
“Just in the last six months, we’ve been able to announce a number of new flights.”
Among some of the recent highlights:
- American Airlines (AA) and Delta Air Lines (DL) now offer direct flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Brisbane Airport (BNE).
- Fiji Airways (FJ) and Jetstar (JQ) have launched services from Fiji (NAN) and Christchurch (CCH) to Cairns (CNS).
- New Zealand’s Dunedin (DUD) and Hamilton (HLZ) are now connected to the Gold Coast (OOL) via Jetstar (JQ).
- Malaysian Airlines (MH) will resume flights to Brisbane (BNE) from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) starting in November this year.
“There’s plenty more for us to do in that space,” Davidson added,
“But we’re ensuring that those connections continue to grow, particularly in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Beyond the Games: Building a legacy
While the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics are a once-in-a-generation event for Brisbane and Australia, Davidson made it clear: for Queensland, the Games are about much more than a moment in time.
“We love hosting things,” he said. “But the Olympics aren’t moments about just hosting the sport. They are about growing our infrastructure and about building a tourism legacy.”
The vision is long-term, and it’s personal. Queensland isn’t just preparing for a few weeks of global attention. It’s preparing for decades of growth.
“We want you to come before the Games. We want you to come during the Games. And we want you to come after the Games. If we don’t achieve that, then we’ve wasted the opportunity.”
Queensland’s new “Tourism Plan 2045” is an integral part of that — laying the foundations now to ensure infrastructure, experiences, and regional dispersal are ready when the world arrives.
“We’re making sure everything you need will be ready and waiting for you,” Davidson said.
“We’ll have the connections, the experiences, and the holidays that your markets are looking for.”
That Queensland Holiday Feeling
This week, Tourism and Events Queensland launched a new nationwide campaign, ‘That Holiday Feeling’, tapping into nostalgia and inviting Australians to discover the magical moments that a holiday in the Sunshine State can deliver.
The new ‘That Holiday Feeling’ brand platform reimagines Madonna’s ‘80s hit “Holiday” with homegrown singer Kita Alexander and vivid imagery highlighting the state’s appeal.
It features multiple locations, including the Whitsundays, Daintree, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, K’gari, Outback Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, and is designed to unify storytelling across Queensland’s 13 distinct tourism regions.
“I’m a bit of an ‘80s tragic,” Davidson joked.
“If you’re a local here in Australia, you’ve had a connection with Queensland at some stage during your life. If you haven’t holidayed here, then at least a member of your family has.”
The campaign taps into that emotional muscle memory of sunshine and good times while inviting new generations of travellers to experience it for themselves.
“We want you to experience Queensland for yourself, to truly feel that Queensland holiday spirit — and then to share it with your clients,” Davidson said.
“If you come here once, you’ll understand. And once you’ve had a taste of it, we know you’ll keep coming back.”
A clear call to the trade
As ATE rolled into another bustling afternoon of appointments and connections, Davidson had one clear and personal message for the trade.
“We want you to experience Queensland for yourself, to truly feel that Queensland holiday spirit — and then to share it with your clients,” Davidson said.
“If you come here once, you’ll understand. And once you’ve had a taste of it, we know you’ll keep coming back. Together, we have the opportunity to make Queensland the first choice, not just for today’s travellers but for generations to come.”
Judging by the conversations happening across the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre this week, that next evolution is already taking shape.
For more, head to teq.queensland.com/au/en/trade
