CEO & Board Updates

Since the early 1990s it has been my dream to be back in the tourism industry in Tropical North Queensland and here I am.

As I enter my last days as CEO of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, I want to say thank you to our members. The tourism industry in this region is a resilient and important industry. It is diverse and supported by entrepreneurial people whom I have enjoyed sharing part of the stage with for the past two years.

TTNQ is undertaking its largest ever domestic marketing campaign after receiving matched funding from the State Government and Cairns Regional Council for a $2.8 million campaign.

Brag-worthy selfie opportunities, a treasure trail and ranger talks are part of an initiative to help Chinese visitors appreciate the history and environment of Green Island, off Cairns.

Innovation is the key to success in the rapidly evolving Chinese travel market and this means working with dynamic trade partners who are abreast of the changes driving consumer choice.

Many businesses have been doing it tough after an extended wet season prompting them to ask what TTNQ is doing to assist in this downturn. Questions about Great Barrier Reef messaging are also being asked.

Virgin’s announcement that two of its return flights per week would be downsized will have minimal impact on the region as the 300 lost seats equate to about 0.3% of the total Cairns domestic capacity.

We recognise that the region has been challenged over the summer period, and over the past few weeks public attention has been drawn to the importance of tourism.

As the year draws to a close we take time to reflect on our achievements and realise that so many of them have resulted from strong partnerships.

The value of tourism in Tropical North Queensland is firmly cemented in the minds of the nation’s most influential politicians after intensive lobbying as part of the Cairns Convoy to Canberra last week.

Feedback from China indicates that the number of independent visitors will continue to grow from this source market bringing a new, savvy traveller who wants to do more than tick off the reef, rainforest and Indigenous culture with half day trips.

Australia’s leading travel writers will explore Tropical North Queensland when Cairns hosts the Australian Society of Travel Writers Convention on 18-20 October 2019.