June 2025 CEO Update

Mark Olsen

TTNQ’s members were given an invaluable update on where the tourism industry is heading at the 2025 My Queensland TNQ Tourism Conference held at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino yesterday with more than 120 delegates attending.

After TTNQ’s tribute to the late Robbie Bastion, Assistant Tourism Minister Bree James opened the conference to share the highlights of Destination 2045, the Queensland Government’s 20-year plan for tourism with its six pillars of industry, experiences, events tourism, eco-tourism, connectivity and brand.

Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager for Strategy and Research Rob Dougan spoke about Australia being a boutique player with TNQ as the heartland. While distance is our greatest barrier, it is also our greatest asset with the closer eastern markets growing more rapidly than the western markets and narrow-bodied aircraft redefining distance. Over-tourism has made long-haul markets nervous about the impact their visitation may have. This gives TNQ an opportunity with our promise to Leave Greater from a destination where tourism looks after our natural assets, employs Indigenous people and keeps our industries such as agriculture thriving.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s General Manager of Marketing and Content Lani Cooper unpacked the TTNQ marketing plan for 2025-2026, highlighting key strategies and initiatives designed to boost tourism growth and strengthen the region’s market presence. Domestic strategies include a focus on the brand evolution of Leave Greater aligned with marketing campaigns and publicity. International trade engagement will be a huge focus.

Event sponsor Dentsu Qld focused on today’s digital trends with Integrated Client Director Peter Clark exploring the future of digital purchasing, highlighting how data, AI, and emerging tech are reshaping consumer behaviour and the path to purchase. Short form video is dominating, with Google search and maps integration also cutting through as more travellers search for things to do near their current location. Email and SMS retargeting can also provide a strong return on investment. He encouraged operators to test different platforms in the fast-moving digital landscape and embrace new tech such as AI to save time and improve the quality of content.

The Q&A with the conference naming rights sponsor, My Queensland’s Rod Carrington, the Chief Commercial Officer for the Ignite Travel Group, discussed innovation through collaboration with strategic partnerships to attract new eyes to your product and accelerate the decision process to travel. This could be packaging with like-minded operators offering an experience that complements yours or looking outside the industry and partnering with a leisure product. Purpose travel which aligns with people’s passions gives them an added reason to visit a destination, whether it is travel inspired by adventure, set-jetting, or sustainability.

Event sponsor Tourism and Events Queensland’s new brand strategy was the topic for Head of Major Events Richard Clarke. The Destination 2045 plan aims to grow Queensland’s events calendar to $4 billion, including a $2 billion regional events calendar, and increase business events for the State to $2 billion. This will be achieved by establishing an integrated whole of government approach and delivering a diverse events portfolio that showcases Queensland’s regions, celebrates First Nations cultures and highlights the State’s creativity, heritage and natural environment.

Well Traveller founder Katherine Droga explored the growing wellness travel market, offering insights on meeting consumer demand for wellbeing experiences and how businesses can innovate and grow sustainably. This market tends to travel out of season and disperse which is perfect for our destination, plus they spend more. Juan Walker from Walkabout Adventures, Tamara Scenna from Daintree Siesta, and Kate Leff from Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas shared their experiences with this market.

The Wet Tropics World Heritage Guides joined the conference as a sponsor to launch their training which enhances World Heritage presentation and interpretation through powerful storytelling and world-class experience delivery. The first two training packages launch on 30 June.

Isaiah Creencia, the Principal and Solutions Architect of ERM, discussed what tourism operators need to know about climate data and helped us to understand the requirements of the mandatory climate-related disclosures on the tourism industry. He was joined in a panel discussion by Rod Cole-Clarke from the Seville Mercy Centre and Trish Wadey from the Cairns Adventure Group.

Keynote speaker Amanda Stevens explored how behavioural psychology and emerging consumer trends are reshaping the future of tourism. She offered practical marketing strategies to help businesses innovate and connect with future travellers.

Thank you to our event sponsors – Dentsu Qld, Tourism and Events Queensland and Wet Tropics World Heritage Guides. And a special thank you to our major sponsor My Queensland for their support for this important annual educational event for the Tropical North Queensland tourism industry.

My Queensland TNQ Tourism Conference 2025