CIM NEWS MAGAZINE Issue 8 2016 | Page 20

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Catalyst for growth Tropical North Queensland has got its mojo back, with new venues and products reinforcing why this region is still a clear favourite for both domestic and international groups, writes Sheridan Randall. “The Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas has been a massive catalyst for other development in Port Douglas,” says Rosie Douglas, director of business events at Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. You can read more about the transformation of that iconic resort in our cover story (page 8). But it’s true, there has been a surge of activity following the refurbishment of Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, with new hotels coming online over the next few years, including speculation of a new QT in Cairns, in place of the current Rydges Tradewinds (you heard it here first), a 3.5 star 250 room hotel to be built next to the Oasis Resort and a new Nova City apartment complex. The Shangri-La hotel The Marina and Pullman Cairns International are also looking at refurbs. “Incentive enquiries from China and North America are really strong at the moment,” says Douglas. “It’s part of that Sydney Great Barrier Reef experience that they want. It’s still on the bucket list but for a whole different audience.” The event calendar is looking very strong at the moment, according to Douglas, with the Rugby League World Cup games, UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and Netball’s Queensland Cup all heading to Cairns in 2017. Tara Bennett, executive officer at Tourism Port Douglas & Daintree, agrees that this year has been “firing on all cylinders”. Investment by local businesses such as Quicksilver Group and Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures in their product has been matched by new faces such as Hemingway's Brewery on the new marina development. “It has fabulous function space upstairs and they can do full buy outs for a capacity of 400, so it has huge potential,” says Bennett of Hemingway’s. The steam train Ballyhooley, which only used to run on Sundays, is now operating all wekk and can pick up groups staying at the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas and deliver them straight to the micro-brewery. “It’s a few more fun things to add, although the reef and 20   Convention & Incentive Marketing, Issue 8, 2016    www.cimmagazine.com rainforest will always be the dominant options,” she adds. Indeed, it is the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef that bring people to this part of the world in their droves. In the Daintree the Mossman Gorge Centre has marked a very successful year notching up an unmatched three medals at the recent Queensland Tourism Awards, taking home gold in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism category. “Everybody knows who we are now,” says Marian McLeod, business development manager at the Indigenous eco-tourism development centre which gives visitors a taste of the local Kuku Yalanji culture through Dreamtime Gorge