Industry Expo Day 2026: An Industry Professional’s Experience!

Gail from First Light Travel Group at the Industry Expo Day, 2026.

The annual ITC Industry Expo Day is one of the highlights of the year for students and tutors alike. It’s when we welcome industry professionals to campus to chat about their work, roles available, tips for young learners and a little of everything in between.

This year, the expo was held on Wednesday, October 7, and we were excited to see another great turnout from major travel and tourism companies.

One of those companies was First Light Travel Group, which offers tours all over New Zealand and the South Pacific. Gail MacSween, Organisational Development Manager for First Light, had some fantastic feedback to share about the day.

“I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to present at the Expo today. It was fantastic to meet you all and spend time with the students.”

“A huge congratulations to you and the team for organising such a significant event. It was incredibly well run. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and look forward to working with you all in the future”

Not only that, she also had some updates for us about ITC graduates who are now working with the company!

ITC Graduates at First Light Travel Group

Gina O’Neill
Joined us as a Travel Designer in 2022 and quickly took on additional responsibilities as a Team Leader. Gina then progressed into a Travel Design Manager role, where she supports her team to achieve their sales goals while fostering their professional growth and development. 

Tatyana Kelenc
Tatyana is one of our Travel Designers. Throughout her time with us, Tatyana has developed specialist expertise in the Northern Territory and has always had a particular passion for and interest in Tasmania. 

Meli Ganilau
Meli joined us for a one-week work experience placement in 2023 before coming on board in an entry-level role. Since then, he has gained experience across multiple areas of the business before discovering his passion for Guest Experience. He has since stepped into the role of Guest Services Manager, leading our Guest Services team and ensuring our guests receive the five-star service we are known for.

Marcella Johnston
Marcella has held several roles within the business and recently returned from a year working remotely as a Travel Designer from Sydney. She has now taken on the role of Supplier Relations Manager, ensuring our valuable supplier partnerships remain strong and well supported. 

Tahlia Cooper
Tahlia is our most recent ITC graduate and has been making a fantastic impact in our Reservations team. After joining us for a one-week work experience placement, she impressed us so much that she was offered a role almost immediately. Tahlia now looks after bookings, travel documentation, and supplier communications, playing a key role in delivering a seamless experience for our guests.

The ITC Industry Expo from a professional’s perspective

Curious about Gail, First Light Travel, and their connection with ITC, we asked a little more about the experience!

“First Light Travel and ITC have been working together for a number of years. My involvement started mid-2023 when we had our first work experience student and we haven’t looked back since!” she said.

When asked about what the goal was for First Light Travel when taking part in these days, Gail said it was to help the students.

“It’s great to help students understand that inbound is a great option and to show them what we do and why we love the industry. It doesn’t hurt to get our name out there to great potential future hires too.”

As for her favourite part about the day, it’s all in interacting with the students.

“Seeing their passion for the industry and helping them make plans for the future is so fulfilling.”

And to finish, we asked Gail what kind of skills and knowledge they’re looking for in students, and her advice for those looking to get into the industry.

“Passion is the main thing, everything else we can teach but a love for tourism and people is a must.”

When it comes to advice, “a couple of the biggest things are to get out and experience as much as they can, take a road trip, go out hiking and start building knowledge as well as starting to  make connections now, whether that is their classmates, their tutors or the presenters from the expo, you never know when a connection is going to come in handy farther down the line. Setting up a quick LinkedIn and starting to build their networks will really help.”

Study with ITC for Industry Connections

At ITC, we know exactly what Gail means when she talks about connections being so important. That’s a big part of the reason why we host the Industry Expo Day – and so many other events – throughout the year.

Between that, our work experience opportunities, our dedicated Employment Consultant, and our entire team being comprised of industry pros, we set the standard for helping our students and graduates find fulfilling work.

Contact us today to learn more about how we take our students from enrolment to graduation to industry employment!

ITC Students WOW Trade Manager on Work Experience

ITC students Ladelle and Natasha at a recent trade event.

Tourism Events Queensland recently hosted a VIP Brand Launch, with networking opportunities, a spa activation, a seated dinner, and formal presentations. Trade Manager at Brand USA Elaine has brought in ITC students for work experience in the past, and once again put the call out to see if any students would like some incredible experience at an industry event.

Two students – Ladelle James and Natasha Hilton – both signed up immediately.

“Their duties included supporting the general event setup, helping prepare the welcome area, greeting and checking in guests, managing the coat check and name tag distribution, and assisting with guest movement into the networking space. Toward the end of the evening, they also helped distribute gift bags and ensured guests were reunited with their coats and belongings,” explained Elaine.

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Annual ITC Industry Expo inspires students and graduates

Air New Zealand was one of several industry brands that spoke at the annual ITC event.

Every year, ITC invites travel and tourism industry representatives to visit campus and engage with our students and graduates.

It’s an opportunity for employers to meet the next generation of qualified, passionate workers, and it’s a chance for our students to learn more about the industry, discover new career paths, and meet those working in the industry.

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