Flight Centre is expecting more than 10,000 guests at its Sydney Travel Expo, which returned this weekend for the first time in six years.
The event opened with a launch party for several hundred VIPs on Friday night. It is being held at ICC Sydney across Saturday and Sunday, bringing together more than 200 travel experts and 85-plus travel partners. Visitors can browse offers across flights, cruises, tours, hotels and holiday packages, as well as attend presentations from suppliers and destination specialists.
The expo began in Brisbane in 1996. More than 11,000 travellers came through the doors the following year, according to a history presented at Friday night’s launch. This year’s event marks 30 years since that first expo.
The format grew into a major annual event for travellers seeking holiday inspiration, expert advice and deals in one place. Flight Centre said its expos were attracting more than 200,000 people by the end of the 2010s, before the pandemic brought travel and large-scale events to a halt.
Andrew Stark, Flight Centre’s global managing director, said the company had changed since the pandemic, with a greater share of its business now coming through online and specialist channels. But he said personal service remained central to the brand.
“We have always been a people brand, and will always remain a people brand,” he told guests at the launch.
Stark said the expo was a chance for customers to meet travel experts and suppliers and explore new ways to travel. The launch also featured giveaways and presentations from partners, including Hong Kong Tourism Board, Trafalgar, Norwegian Cruise Line and Intrepid Travel.
Among the weekend incentives are prize draws for customers who attend or make a booking.
