Latest News & Media Releases

Keep up to date with the latest news from TTNQ. The following are the most recent media releases for both the media, travel writers and tourism trade.

Media Releases
17 Feb 2025
Inaugural tourism sustainability report documents priorities

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) has published its first annual Sustainability Report charting the extensive work undertaken to guide the industry towards reducing carbon emissions and contributing to the local environment and community.

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Media Releases
3 Feb 2025
Tourism industry digs in to restore tree kangaroo habitat

A second hectare of tree kangaroo habitat has been planted today by the tourism industry as part of Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s partnership with Reforest to connect the industry with local carbon removal and ecosystem restoration.

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Media Releases
29 Jan 2025
Record-breaking Cairns airfare sale returns

Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Webjet are working together again to offer discounted airfares to Cairns for travel until the end of May 2025 with up to $125 off interstate flights and $100 off intrastate flights after a record-breaking sale late last year.

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Media Releases
20 Nov 2024
Fiji Airways route to entice North Americans to Cairns

The announcement by Fiji Airways today (November 20) that it will launch direct services to Cairns from April 10 will speed up recovery from the North American market, according to Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ).

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Media Releases
14 Nov 2024
New training program to inspire exceptional guest experiences

Everyone involved in welcoming guests to Tropical North Queensland is set to benefit from the new Tropical North Queensland Welcomes You program.

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Media Releases
26 Oct 2024
Tourism Tropical North Queensland awards excellence

The Tropical North Queensland tourism industry recognised its innovative people and products at the 2024 Expedia Group TNQ Tourism Industry Excellence Awards at the Screen Queensland Studio in Cairns on October 25.

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Media Releases
17 Oct 2024
Tourism Tropical North Queensland triples funding value

Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s ability to multiply the value of funding through strategic partnerships continued in 2023-24 by generating $177.8 million in domestic and international visitor expenditure and a record $300 million in advertising value equivalent including $123 million in publicity.

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Media Releases
16 Oct 2024
TNQ tourism industry identifies growth potential

The Tropical North Queensland tourism sector could become a $7.5 billion industry by 2032 supporting an extra 12,500 regional jobs and contributing an additional $780 million in tax revenue per annum.

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Media Releases
11 Oct 2024
Vale Sir Frank Moore

Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen paid tribute to Sir Frank Moore, the father of tourism in Queensland, who passed away yesterday (October 10).

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Media Releases
9 Oct 2024
Cairns airfare sale to boost shoulder season visitation

More than 4400 Aussies have booked flights to Cairns in just 36 hours following a partnership between Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Webjet to increase visitation to the region from November through to May.

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Media Releases
8 Oct 2024
Cruise sector booms in Tropical North Queensland

The cruise season is underway in Tropical North Queensland with 14 scheduled visits in October including the Pacific Encounter today (October 8) with 2600 passengers ahead of a very busy November.

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Media Releases
4 Oct 2024
Airfare sale to boost Tropical North Queensland visitors

Discounted Cairns airfares launch on Monday (October 7) as part of a marketing campaign strategy to drive visitation during the low season to Tropical North Queensland.

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Media Releases
2 Oct 2024
China market recovery underway in Tropical North Queensland

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) generated more than $37 million in sales in the China market last financial year helping to grow the Chinese market by around 20,000 visitors for the region.

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Media Releases
19 Sep 2024
Tourism Tropical North Queensland calls for investment

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) is seeking bipartisan commitment for the State Government to fund destination marketing for the next four years to support about 2185 jobs and bring in more than $735 million in visitor expenditure for the Queensland economy.

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Media Releases
6 Sep 2024
World-first initiative Guardian of the Great Barrier Reef

Conservation curious travellers can visit the newly launched website and work through a series of short educational videos and fast, each with a coupon reward system to use with Expedia bookings on the Great Barrier Reef.

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Newsletters
10 Jul 2024
Sustainability Leaders News – July 2024

Australia faces a pressing waste management issue, impacting every sector including the tourism and hospitality sectors. Annually, our nation produces 2.5 million tonnes of plastic with up to 5% of this leaking into marine environments.

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Media Releases
4 Jul 2024
Tropical North Queensland showcased to NZ agents

New Zealand’s top Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program agents were rewarded with an eight-day famil of Tropical North Queensland ahead of an increase in direct flights to Cairns.

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Media Releases
18 Jun 2024
TTNQ conference analyses effective tourism marketing

Global tourism recovery trends, changing consumer behaviour, and responsible artificial intelligence use are among the topics to be discussed at the My Queensland TNQ Tourism Conference at the Hilton Cairns tomorrow (June 19).

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Media Releases
6 Jun 2024
Tourism toolkit to boost Gulf Savannah resilience

A toolkit to help tourism operators develop new experiences and encourage visitors to the Gulf Savannah beyond the peak season will be launched next week to help boost the region’s resilience after natural disasters.

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Media Releases
5 Jun 2024
Accessible tourism grows in Tropical North Queensland

An accessible rainforest canopy walkway and a kayak launcher are among 46 new Tropical North Queensland initiatives to result from Queensland’s Year of Accessible Tourism.

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Media Releases
2 Jun 2024
Queensland is Bluey’s world for real life

That’s the latest major tourism marketing offensive Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) is kicking off today, in its biggest campaign in more than a decade, and Tropical North Queensland has a starring role.

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Media Releases
13 May 2024
What’s New in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef – May 2024

Jump on a jetski and whizz around Pajinka, the northern-most tip of Australia, with a First Nations-led jetski tour launching on 25 May. Pafetai Morseau from Badu Island has founded Cape York Jetski Tours to showcase the remote region’s culture and history as part of an action-packed jetski tour that can also take in the Torres Strait islands. Fishing and trips to remote art centres are among the options for the tours departing from Seisa in Cape York Peninsula.

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Media Releases
13 May 2024
Sustainability News in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef – May 2024

Tropical North Queensland is the most eco-certified destination in Australia with 72 active ecocertified companies and 27 businesses undertaking the process with Ecotourism Australia.

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Media Releases
13 Mar 2024
Tropical North Queensland offers $100 off tours

Visitors to Tropical North Queensland can enjoy $100 off hundreds of tours including Great Barrier Reef trips, scenic helicopter flights and guided rainforest adventures from today with the national launch of the Tropical Dollars campaign.

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Media Releases
5 Mar 2024
Palm Cove tops list of ‘Best Beaches in the World’

Described as the ‘epitome of a tropical paradise’ Tropical North Queensland’s Palm Cove has been crowned best beach in the world by Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

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Media Releases
5 Mar 2024
Tropical North Queensland resilience attracts business events

The resilience of Tropical North Queensland after record flooding in December has inspired corporations planning incentive events for international destinations this year to move their business to Cairns.

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Media Releases
19 Feb 2024
What’s New in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef – February 2024
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Media Releases
17 Feb 2024
Visitors welcomed back to the Daintree on Monday

Independent day visitors can head north of the Daintree River from 5am on Monday 19 February to see the iconic view from the Alexandra Lookout and visit attractions such as the Daintree Discovery Centre.

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Media Releases
14 Feb 2024
Sustainability News in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Tropical North Queensland is the most eco-certified destination in Australia with 72 active eco-certified companies and 27 businesses undertaking the process with Ecotourism Australia.

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Media Releases
20 Jan 2024
Great Barrier Reef Drive opens today

The iconic Great Barrier Reef Drive opened at 8am today (Saturday January 20) providing a coastal route to Port Douglas and Daintree in addition the daily ferry service from Cairns and the scenic inland route via Mareeba and Mount Molloy.

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Media Releases
17 Jan 2024
Tourism Recovery Officer begins work

Tourism Tropical North Queensland has appointed Fiona Nicholl to the Tourism Recovery Officer role funded by the Federal and State Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

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Media Releases
3 Jan 2024
How to get to Port Douglas for a summer break

Scenic boat transfers between Cairns and Port Douglas for just $50 and a stunning inland drive are the easiest way to get to Port Douglas for the summer break you’ve been waiting for.

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Media Releases
18 Dec 2023
Tourism works to keep community and visitors safe

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the organisation’s immediate focus was to keep the community and visitors safe.

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Media Releases
15 Dec 2023
Touring resumes in Tropical North Queensland

The first cruise ship has returned to Cairns, divers are back exploring the Great Barrier Reef and waterfall tours are in demand as Tropical North Queensland welcomes visitors in the wake of Cyclone Jasper.

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Media Releases
6 Dec 2023
Content grants to showcase business event offerings

Fourteen business event suppliers of Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef have received grants of up to $5,000 each to produce new content or update their website performance as part of the Create Great Program.

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Media Releases
29 Nov 2023
China Eastern announces seasonal services to Cairns

China Eastern Airlines will operate seasonal services from Shanghai to Cairns bringing Chinese visitors directly into the region for the Chinese New Year celebrations in 2024 and injecting up to $3 million into the local economy.

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Media Releases
27 Nov 2023
TNQ operators awarded

Tropical North Queensland operators took home 14 wins across 10 categories at the Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Queensland Tourism Awards ceremony at the Cairns Convention Centre on Friday night.

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Media Releases
15 Nov 2023
TTNQ launches global campaigns to boost visitation

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) has launched its first global trade campaigns for the ‘Cairns & Great Barrier Reef’ brand partnering with Expedia and Trip.com for activity in seven key international markets

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Media Releases
10 Nov 2023
Tropical North Queensland to host Australia Next

Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase will return in 2024 with the event, normally held every two years, to be held in Tropical North Queensland, as Australia continues to rebuild a strong pipeline of international business events.

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Media Releases
3 Nov 2023
Great Barrier Reef gives birth to next generation of corals

Researchers, tourism operators and Traditional Owners are poised to analyse the next generation of corals on the Great Barrier Reef after the start of the annual coral spawn was recorded last night (November 2) on Moore Reef, 47km east of Cairns.

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Media Releases
28 Oct 2023
Tropical North Queensland celebrates tourism excellence

The Tropical North Queensland tourism industry celebrated a year of record achievement at the 2023 Expedia Group TNQ Tourism Industry Excellence Awards at the Cairns Convention Centre on last night (27 October).

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Media Releases
19 Oct 2023
John O’Sullivan to Chair TTNQ Board

Experience Co Limited Chief Executive Officer John O’Sullivan has been appointed Chair of Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) at the Annual General Meeting today (October 19).

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Media Releases
6 Oct 2023
First Nations tourism flourishing in Tropical North Qld

Australian holiday travellers experiencing Indigenous tourism in Tropical North Queensland are spending almost three times more than they did before the pandemic and staying longer in the destination.

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See All Articles

#ExploreTNQ

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate #RexSmealPark? Drop your score below. 👇 We would give it a 10… obviously...🌴

📸 IG/kel.and.dyl

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @portdouglasdaintree  #portdouglasdaintree 

ID A park with lush green grass stretches toward the waterfront, framed by tall, evenly spaced palm trees. In the background, a calm body of water reflects the sky, with distant mountains and a tree-covered shoreline.
No snorkel? No worries! A glass-bottom boat tour lets you see the #GreatBarrierReef without getting wet. Who’s up for an underwater adventure but above water 😉? 

🎥 @sunloverreefcruises 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia

ID The video opens with on-screen text that reads “Have you ever been on a glass-bottom boat tour?”. The footage then shows a glass-bottom boat floating over the Great Barrier Reef, with coral formations below. The perspective shifts between above-water shots of the boat and views through the glass panels, where tropical fish and marine life can be seen swimming beneath.
Journey through #Mareeba along the historic Wheelbarrow Way to discover #Chillagoe, a hidden outback gem filled with ancient limestone caves, rich mining history and landscapes that take your breath away. Have you heard of it? Time to add this “secret” to your TNQ bucket list.

Planning a trip? @visitmareebashire offers a 2-day
Wheelbarrow Way itinerary and all the tips you need to make the most of your adventure.

🎥 @overlandtravellers 

ID Aerial and ground footage showcasing Chillagoe’s outback landscapes, ancient limestone formations and scenic walking trails. Clips feature a couple exploring caves, hiking throughthe rocky terrain and enjoying sunset views among towering limestone pillars. Text overlays highlight Chillagoe as one of TNQ’s best-kept secrets.

#exploretnq #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #australia @queensland @australia
If paradise had a waterfall, this would be it. #ZoeFalls on #HinchinbrookIsland is the ultimate reward for those who make the trek offering up the ultimate freshwater experience. Who’s taken the plunge here? 👇 #HinchinbrookIsland #zoefalls

📸 IG/markfitz

ID A half-underwater, half-above-water shot of a woman standing in a clear pool at the base of a waterfall. Below the water, small fish swim among smooth rocks. Above the water, a cascade flows down dark, rocky cliffs surrounded by green rainforest.
Monday mood? ➡️ Wishing you were here instead… 🌴 #MissionBeach 

🎥  @_markfitz 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia missionbeachqld

ID Aerial drone shot featuring a long stretch of beach with golden sand palm trees.
Ever peered into the depths of Mt Hypipamee Crater on the @athertontablelands? 🤯 This volcanic pipe is just one of many geological marvels of this region. Who’s visited? 

🎥 @jessadventuresaus 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia  #athertontablelands

ID A deep, cylindrical crater with sheer rock walls drops dramatically into a still, green pool far below. The surrounding landscape is dense with rainforest, with trees lining the rim of the crater.
Two historical landmarks captured in one beautiful image – can you name them? 🤔 (Answer at the end!) 

📸 @amys.camera.lens

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @australia @queensland @portdouglasdaintree 

A small white church sits among tall palm trees near a sandy shoreline. Behind it, the ocean stretches to the horizon with a wooden pier on one side and distant mountains in the background.

⚓ Port Douglas Sugar Wharf 
⛪ St Mary’s by the Sea
Every day is an adventure in @TropicalNorthQueensland. ☀️ And if you need a little inspo, here are 8 experiences that made 🎥 @kellerdiaries' list. 

🚂 Take a scenic ride through the rainforest on the @kurandascenicrailway.
🐎 Gallop along the beach between two World Heritage sites with @capetribhorserides.
🛥️ Cruise to Mackay Coral Cay for pristine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
🍍 Hunt for hidden gems and fresh local produce at the Port Douglas Markets.
🍇 Indulge in a delicious road trip through the @athertontablelands’ foodie trail.
🏝️ Spend a sun-soaked day exploring @fitzroyisland.
🤿 Snorkel the @gbrmarinepark and meet its incredible marine life.
🌴 Chase waterfalls and secret swimming spots in @portdouglasdaintree. 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland  @australia 

ID Text over video reads “8 must-see places in Tropical North Queensland” followed by a series of videos showing a train travelling through a rainforest, people riding horses along a sandy shoreline, people standing on a white sand cay in the ocean, an outdoor market filled with people and stalls, a person admiring views from a lookout beneath a tree, a white sand beach with bright blue water, colourful coral underwater and a person jumping into a rainforest waterhole.
Heaven IS a place on Earth… and it looks a lot like this 💙. #LizardIsland is serving up some pretty spectacular views so, who’s coming with you? 🏝️

🎥 @lizardisland 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @cooktowntnq 

ID Aerial and close-up shots of the landscapes of Lizard Island, featuring crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and vibrant marine life.
OMG, Is that a baby dragon? Meet the newest additions to the @WildlifeHabitat - Wilma and Whiplash’s tiny but mighty Boyd’s Forest Dragons. After months of careful incubation, they have finally hatched. Who else thinks they need names? 👇

🎥 @wildlifehabitat 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland  @australia  @portdouglasdaintree 

ID A Wildlife Habitat keeper introduces newly hatched Boyd’s Forest Dragons, explaining the incubation process. The video shows gloved hands gently handling tiny eggs and placing baby dragons in an incubation container. The scene shifts to their parents, Wilma and Whiplash, perched in their enclosure. The keeper describes the careful temperature and humidity control needed for hatching.