Business events slip off agenda for Hamilton Island

Business events slip off agenda for Hamilton Island
By admin


Hamilton Island has reported its “best year ever” but its chief executive Glenn Bourke has admitted the business events market is “shrinking” as FIT soars.

Bourke attributed recent strong occupancies and revenues at the island resort in part to "post-GFC euphoria".

But, while the situation represents a positive outcome for the destination, it means it can longer fit in the big conferences that it used to host.

“So we started to take smaller groups and fit them in where we could,” he told The Nibbler.

“If things change and FIT drops off, then obviously we will need to work harder on the MICE market, but at the moment, it’s not a priority.”

However, Bourke highlighted the island’s recently added Yacht Club with its auditorium as a different conference space offering, and revealed plans to extend conference space in the future.

“By my expectation, the MICE market will reboot again probably not this year but next year and we’ll have to go after those larger conferences once again,” Bourke said.

Although he recognised strong competition from destinations such as Bali, Fiji and Thailand, he insisted Hamilton’s is a “different offer to some degree” enhanced by its proximity to Australian cities.

“Other things in our favour are expedience, currency and safety as opposed to a place where you see military juntas or incendiary behaviour,” he said.

Creating additional room capacity is also on the longer term agenda for the island, with the old Palm Terrace hotel to be converted from staff digs back to guest accommodation over the coming years, with a hotel project on Dent Island to follow.

Meanwhile, events are a major focus for the island, with Audi Hamilton Island Race Week proving a major drawcard along with other smaller "boutique" events such as the Great Barrier Feast.

"We're working to tailor events into the lower season windows to maintain the levels of occupancy," Bourke revealed.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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