Access NZ off to a flying start...

More than 70 leading business leaders departed today from Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport on a history-making flight to Auckland as part of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s (TSBE) Access NZ delegation.

Touted as the business networking event of 2018, Access NZ has secured some of the region’s leading businesses to travel across the ditch where they will hear from some of New Zealand’s most successful industry leaders and gain exclusive behind the scenes access to iconic and progressive organisations to learn about innovative practices that can be brought back and applied to benefit the Darling Downs and Surat Basin region.

TSBE CEO, Ali Davenport welcomed the excited passengers at the special Flight Centre brunch hosted at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport ahead of the international Qantas flight that departed at 1.30pm.

“Today marks another historical milestone for TSBE as we welcome 70 business delegates on our Access NZ trip to embark on the maiden direct international flight to New Zealand,” Ms Davenport said.

“As New Zealand’s second largest trading partner, we see enormous potential for our local businesses to benefit by establishing closer economic ties with a key international market which could be worth millions in the years ahead for our region.”

New Zealand was strategically selected due to it being one of Australia’s major trading partners and the feedback received from our successful Access China delegation.

“During our Access China trip, our guest speakers continued to reference and highlight Kiwi businesses as being world leaders in best practice and innovation,” Ms Davenport said.

“Auckland is the fastest growing city in the western world and we’re excited Access NZ will provide an array of opportunities for local businesses to establish and explore new strategic partnerships. We anticipate that delegates will return to our region where many of the key learnings from the trip can be implemented within the delegates’ own businesses which will benefit our entire region.

TSBE’s international delegations have provided significant positive outcomes for local businesses and have helped secure more than $350 million worth of potential investment to support and grow a diverse economy that is the envy of many regional areas across Australia.

“We predict to achieve similar economic success with Access NZ to our previous international delegations and want to thank all of the businesses and local thought leaders for helping us make Access NZ a success.” Ms Davenport said.

In a nod to technology and innovation, TSBE has created a dedicated hashtag, #AccessNZ and will be providing Facebook Live videos and updates on the TSBE Facebook and Twitter accounts for the first time ever during an international delegation.

To receive live updates from TSBE’s Access NZ trip “Like” TSBE on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/tsbenterprise/  or follow TSBE on Twitter: twitter.com/tsbenterprise