Frances Anne Keeler, who is the new executive general manager, market operationsl, looking after both Eastern and Western markets, told WIT that the new person would be assisting the teams on the ground in the Asian markets.

She also said that there would be a significant increase – possible a doubling – in budget for the Asian market in the new financial year starting July.

Keeler, who took on the world after a restructuring which made 20-year Tourism Australia veteran Richard Beere’s Eastern role redundant, said she was extremely excited about the opportunities for development in the region.

“We will be supporting the development of new markets in Asia and maintaining the matured markets,” she said.

Keeler recently did a trip round the region to learn more about a market she is new to. Relating the impressions made from that trip, she said she was blown away by the size and population of Asia. “There is tremendous opportunity but at the same time, picking the winners will be the challenge. You can’t do everything so you have to focus on the populations where you can make a difference.”

She said she was struck by the “standout” opportunity in Indonesia, most of it untapped still. And China of course left a big impression.

“We are developing a China plan and looking at everything Australia needs to do – where we should be marketing, who our customers are, visa issues, what kind of products and experiences we can offer.”

Her first priority since taking on the new expanded role has to get better efficiences internally.

“We want to stop talking East and West. We have restructured the team in Sydney to get better efficiencies on a global level, and that we are now one team, not east and west.”

As for whether this global approach would be reflected in the Australian Tourism Exchange which, this year, remained divided into Eastern and Western modules, Keeler said this was an area Tourism Australia would study closely.

One reason why the ATE has been split into two modules has been the lack of facilities in certain states that can accommodate an event that combines east and west, and it had been thought that in Sydney, which had adequate facilities, that this year’s ATE would be combined.

The growing interest in Asia is evident in the growing numbers of buyers being invited to the Eastern module. A total of 329 buyers from 276 companies, 47 of which were new, met with a total of 664 seller delegates from 261 companies, of which 37 were new.

The Western module still remains the larger event – 1,068 seller delegates from 473 companies met with 464 buyers from 241 companies, of which 25 were new.

The event stretches over seven days and one argument in favour of it being combined is that it would shorten the length of time suppliers have to be at the booth.

“Let’s face it, by the seventh day, it is hard to sell anything with enthusiam,” said one Australian supplier.