A successful meeting or incentive destination must satisfy a comprehensive list of criteria. However only iconic destinations offer a single quality that makes an event unforgettable. Only iconic destinations inspire.

With the mighty silhouette of Uluru on the horizon, Ayers Rock Resort inspire delegates with high impact events and once in a lifetime experiences. This is a destination like no other.

Dinner becomes an award-winning feast under a star filled desert sky. Team building ignites a new passion for this enigmatic land and its people. Events are only limited by the imagination.

Set in truly iconic living cultural landscape, your inspirational Ayers Rock Resort event will be afforded a status that is beyond success. It will simply be unforgettable.

Minister for Tourism Martin Ferguson MP today officially opened the $30 million Uluru Meeting Place in Oct 2012.

The Uluru Meeting Place, named in acknowledgement of the local Anangu people who have used the area as meeting place for tens of thousands of years, has a striking modern Indigenous design with facilities that include a new ballroom seating 420 people that can also be sub-divided  into smaller meeting spaces.  There is also a second ballroom that seats over 300 which can also be split to create an integrated conference arena. When combined these two rooms create a large area ideal for events and trade shows.

"We believe that the creation of a modern, state of the art Conference Centre will establish the Uluru Meeting Place as an important new option in Australia for meeting planners," said Voyages Indigenous Tourism Executive General Manager, Ray Stone.

This event marks a period of intense change and development at the Resort since Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia took over the management on 23 May 2011.  Not only have there been physical changes to the Resort, Indigenous employment has risen from two employees to over 170.  Other initiatives have included the introduction of a suite of free Indigenous Guest Activities that include yarns, garden walks and cultural performances. A  new premium under-the-stars dining experience Tali Wiru has commenced as well as new Outback Sky Journey tours that are an easy and affordable way to discover our solar system are offered two times a night.

"When we took over the Resort our mandate was very clear; to increase Indigenous employment and training as well as cultural engagement for our guests.  As well as to increase financial results so that this in turn could be returned to our parent company, the Indigenous Land Corporation, so thatcould re-invest in further Indigenous Training and Development programs," said Koos.

"We have already seen great interest in the Uluru Meeting Place and see the conference market as an important one.   Conference delegates have been drawn to the unique team-building activities such as Indigenous dot painting projects as well as the opportunity of experiencing a sunrise over Uluru on camel back or enjoying a dinner under the starry outback sky at an exclusive Sounds of Silence. Delegates can also take part in the suite of Indigenous experiences, such as performances and boomerang painting that are available to all guests at the resort," said Koos

A new www.ulurumeetingplace.com.au micro-site features an interactive virtual tour as well as conference, incentive and events itineraries, a range of experiences including sunrise, sunset and Indigenous tours and full details about all the redeveloped conference venues, resorts and how to get there.

For more information or to make a booking go to www.voyages.com.au or call 1300 034  044.

ENDS

About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) and manages tourism and resorts on its behalf. Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort and Longitude 131° in the Northern Territory, Home Valley Station in The Kimberley in Western Australia and the Mossman Gorge Centre, in Tropical North Queensland.

One of the key responsibilities of Voyages is to promote and sustain eco tourism, protecting pristine sites for many years to come. Voyages works collaboratively with local communities to assist them to exercise sustainable environmental tourism practices, respecting and supporting the local Indigenous cultures and offering employment and training opportunities to the local and broader Australian and Torres-Strait Islander Indigenous communities

Profits from all business activities are re-invested in the Indigenous and resort experiences and through the various training and development programs in place around Australia.