More than 350 media and travel PR representatives convened on 24 February at the new International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney for TravMedia Australia's fifth International Media Marketplace (IMM). 

IMM Australia connected 150 local media with 180 PR representatives from 138 travel brands. Collectively they participated in 2,433 pre-scheduled, one-on-one appointments – plus many more networking opportunities across multiple catered events.

The day concluded with an exclusive cocktail reception at the new Hyatt Regency Sydney in Darling Harbour, with impressive chef's stations including freshly sliced sashimi, duck gnocchi and French champagne.   

Nick Wayland, CEO and Founder of TravMedia said: “The success of IMM Australia 2017 would not have been possible without the support of our Headline Sponsor, Brand USA; Event Sponsors, Hyatt Regency Sydney, United and Intrepid Group; and Hotel Partners, Mantra Group, TFE, The Lancemore Group, and The Star.”   

Anne Madison, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer for Brand USA, commented: "The exposure and platform of IMM provided a great stage to share an update on our progress as the destination marketing organisation for the USA. Our ability to connect with influential journalists at this well-respected conference enabled us to communicate the depth and breadth of destinations and experiences available in the United States. IMM is one of the most effective events for Brand USA and our exhibiting partners to reach influential media."

Media in attendance included top national travel editors and freelancers from outlets including: Fairfax Media, Traveller, News Corp, Escape, NZ Herald, The Australian, Australian Traveller, International Traveller, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Luxury Travel magazine, Vacations & Travel, Where Australia, Get Up & Go, Signature Luxury Travel & Style, Holidays with Kids, get lost magazine, Real Living magazine, Out & About with Kids, Jetstar Magazine, Voyeur, Qantas Magazine, SilverKris, Scoot, Sky Business, AFR Magazine, Financial Review Life & Leisure, Bindu Media, Flight Centre, GOxplore, Expedia ANZ, Senior Traveller, The Senior Newspaper, Telegraph Media (UK), Robb Report and The Lux Traveller and many more. 

Trade publications included: Travel Today, Travel Weekly, Travel Weekly Asia, micenet, BT Publishing, CIM Magazine, Spice, Hotel Management, The Holiday and Travel Magazine, Cruise Advice and Cruise Critic. 

Editorially minded digital influencers and broadcasters included: Lyndey Milan, Bound Round, y Travel Blog, Travel2next.com, Adventurebaby.org, Then Global Goddess, Contented Traveller, Little Nomads, Not Quite Nigella, Pearls of Style, Ciné Souk, Townske.com, Together We Roam, Flame Media, Peppercorn Productions, LotsaFreshAir, Eat,drink+beKerry, Food Wine Travel, and Travelwith.com.au

Georgia Rickard, Contributing Editor for Tourism Australia said: “Every year they get better and better - one of the most valuable days of my calendar. That was the best IMM yet”.

Participating Exhibitors at IMM Australia 2017

US and Canada:
Brand USA, Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn, Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau, Caesars Entertainment Group, Cruise America RV Rentals, Dallas CVB and Fort Worth CVB, Destination Las Vegas Group, Discover Los Angeles and LAX Airport, Discover New England, ESG Transportation, Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau, Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, Handlery Hotels, Idaho Tourism, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Loews Hotels, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, NYC & Company, Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, San Francisco Travel Association, sbe / Morgans Hotel Group, Simon Shopping Destinations, Smart Destinations, Sonoma County Tourism, Texas Tourism, Tours Limited, Travel Nevada, Travel Portland, Travel South, Tropicana Las Vegas, Universal Studios Hollywood, USSportstickets.com, Utah Office of Tourism, Visit Anaheim, Visit Anchorage, Visit California, Visit Denver, Visit Florida, Visit Seattle, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Wellington Hotel and Broadway.com, Yosemite, Destination Canada,  Destination British Columbia, Travel Alberta, Travel Manitoba.

International Destinations:
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, Austrian National Tourist Office, Destination Great Lake Taupo, Enterprise Dunedin, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Indo a Go-Go, Macao Government Tourism Office, Monaco Government Tourist Bureau, Sultanate of Oman Tourism, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourism New Zealand, Tourism Waitaki, Visit Flanders, Visit Kinosaki, VisitBritain, YourSingapore.

Local Destinations:
Destination NSW, Destination Gold Coast, Perth Region Tourism Organisation, South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Geelong Bellarine, Tourism Noosa, Tourism Tasmania, Tourism Western Australia, Visit Sunshine Coast, Visit Victoria, VisitCanberra, Yarra Ranges Tourism.

Airlines:
Air Canada, Qantas, Scoot, Thai Airways International, United Airlines.

Hotels:
Amiana on the Bay, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Heritage Hotels, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jamala Wildlife Lodge, Jupiters Hotel & Casino Gold Coast, Kingfisher Bay Resort Group, LUXICO, NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust, Mantra Group, Pan Pacific Hotel Group, Radisson Blu Hotel Sydney, Saffire Freycinet, Semara Collection Bali, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, TFE Hotels, The Lancemore Group, The Murray, a Niccolo Hotel, The Small Maldives Island Company, The Star Sydney, Uga Escapes Sri Lanka, Virgin Limited Edition, Yasawa Island Resort & Spa, YHA Australia.

Tour Operators & Retailers:
Aurora Expeditions, Cruise Whitsundays, South Sea Cruises, Viking Cruises, Beyond Travel, Chimu Adventures, Collette, G Adventures, Grand American Adventures, Insider Journeys, Intrepid Group, Moh Collection Latin America, On The Go Tours, Southern Visions Travel, Wendy Wu Tours, World Expeditions Travel Group, Rail Plus, Rail Europe, Rocky Mountaineer, Webjet.

Attractions & Associations:
BridgeClimb Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat and Canungra Valley Vineyards, Peninsula Hot Springs, Port Arthur Historic Sites, The Truffle Festival - Canberra Region, Australian Society of Travel Writers.

Due to the overwhelming success of this year's event, “TravMedia IMM Australia will return to Sydney in 2018. Based on the positive feedback we anticipate a terrific turnout again,” said Nick Wayland.  

TravMedia's IMM has become the leading travel industry event to meet the media. Upcoming 2017 International Media Marketplace events include: IMM Germany in Berlin the day before ITB on 7 March; IMM UK in London on 13 March; IMM Asia in Singapore just prior to ITB Asia on 24 October; and IMM US on 25 January.

For more information and to register for IMM 2018 events visit www.travmedia.com/imm or email immaus@travmedia.com.