2 March, 2015

Cairns gets business confidence boost

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef are experiencing a confidence boost, with new investments in the region from various parties.

Direct Singapore flights, new projects and multi-million dollar tourism redevelopments are among the boosts the region has received, pumping up the incentives and meetings market of the destination.

Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef director Rosie Douglas said accessibility from Southeast Asia would soar in May when SilkAir kicks off direct flights to Cairns from Singapore, adding an extra 20,000 airline seats a year to the destination.

“Our accommodation sector is moving forward with the Shangri-La Hotel The Marina Cairns completing its multi-million refurbishment of 36 Horizon Club rooms and expanding the Club Lounge to include a boardroom with state-of-the-art audiovisual facilities,” Douglas said.

“Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park has unveiled two new event facilities including the Bundarra Cassowary Egg Theatre which will host its first conference next month in the lead-up to the completion of the Park’s $12 million redevelopment in April.”

Increased confidence in Cairns has also resulted in Singapore’s Aspial Corporation starting construction on the $400 million “Nova8” seven-towers project in the heart of the city.

In addition, they will also jumpstart the work soon on the $50 million Cairns Aquarium.

Douglas said all eyes were on Cairns after its success last year in delivering the G20 meeting for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, as well as the southern hemisphere’s largest tourism trade show, the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE14).

“On the back of these prestigious international events Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef experienced a 63% increase in business event leads,” she said.

“Both events allowed the business events industry to show its professionalism on the world stage and demonstrate why the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region can turn a meeting into an event to be remembered.

“With the two World Heritage areas of the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest side by side our region also can deliver truly unique settings for incentives.

“We are seeing good growth from China and United States in the incentive area and have appointed a business development manager in Shanghai to help further develop this market.”

Douglas said the Cairns Delegate Advantage Program had been extended to Palm Cove and Port Douglas following consultation with meeting planners and partners.

“An initiative of the Cairns Convention Centre and Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, the program involves 48 businesses offering discounts and value adds especially for delegates and these are included in a brochure in delegate satchels,” Douglas said.

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