Cairns to lure visitors with MICE

Cairns to lure visitors with MICE
By admin


 

Meetings and events have been identified by Tourism Tropical North Queensland as a major driver for visitors to the region, with the sector expected to yield additional growth in 2013.

The tourism body’s chief executive, Rob Giason, told The Nibbler  that although in 2012, TTNQ saw domestic visitors to the region rise just 1% on the previous year, the MICE market represented the "strongest element" of the overall picture.

In terms of domestic meetings and events, Cairns falls behind only Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, he added.

However, he highlighted international markets, such as China, as having considerable growth potential as a result of improved air access.

China Eastern Airlines commenced direct services to Cairns in October. Giason is now hopeful the frequency of those services will rise, boosting numbers further.

“We’re certainly working with the China Eastern network to build recognition of Cairns as a MICE destination,” he said. “We are working to be able to offer China Eastern passengers and corporate members the opportunity or incentive to bring their meeting to Cairns.”

Giason predicted the destination’s Chinese MICE market would soon rise to similar levels as those seen from Japan before the market went into decline.

Meanwhile, he highlighted Cairns’ facilities as “second to none” and pointed to its track record of winning high profile events such as the 2013 G20 Finance Ministers’s meeting as testament to its strength.

 

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

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