8 October 2026
PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES
GOLD COAST STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARDS – NOMINATIONS EXTENDED
Following feedback from schools and education partners, nominations for the 2026 Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards have been extended by one week, giving our community more time to recognise and celebrate outstanding students across the Gold Coast. Nominations now close at 9:00am on Monday, 12 October 2026.
We encourage our partners, schools, educators and wider community to share the Awards and nominate a deserving student through your networks.
To support promotion, our Student Excellence Awards Toolkit has also been updated with new assets that partners can easily share across their channels.
Help us shine a light on the incredible students who study, live and contribute to the Gold Coast.
JOIN EGC AND BGC FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO STORYTELLING WORKSHOP
You're among the people actively building the Gold Coast: tour operators and hoteliers, educators, venues, events people, the businesses supplying and supporting them all. Different trades, different postcodes, one city to promote.
Join Brand Gold Coast for a 90-minute introduction to brand storytelling, made for EGC Industry Partners. What is storytelling, how do you begin to use it, and how do you wrap your business inside the story of the Gold Coast so your marketing, your pitches and your partnerships all pull in the same direction?
Registrations are limited with two locations to choose from.
Location: Southern Cross University
Date: Tuesday; 10 November
Location: TAFE Southport
Date: Wednesday; 11 November
BEST OF QUEENSLAND READY WORKSHOPS
Looking to strengthen your business and work towards Best of Queensland recognition? Join the Best of Queensland Ready Workshops for practical tips, industry insights and strategies to enhance your visitor experience, strengthen your digital presence and meet the expectations of today’s travellers.
Whether you’re working towards recognition for the first time or aiming for Silver or Gold status, the workshops will give you the knowledge, tools and confidence to take the next step.
Facilitated by tourism consultant Susan Maynard from Connect Tourism, the workshops are delivered in partnership with Experience Gold Coast and the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
We invite tourism partners to register for the Gold Coast Workshop and take the next step towards Best of Queensland recognition.
Date: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm (light lunch included)
Venue: QT Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise
LAST CHANCE – DON’T MISS OUT
Join us for an unforgettable Friends of EGC Evening at Australian Outback Spectacular on Wednesday, 14 October.
Tickets are selling fast, so now is the time to book! Industry Partners, their employees and students, along with family and friends, are all welcome to come together for an evening of connection, entertainment and a taste of the Australian outback.
At the discounted cost of $65 per person, your evening includes an arrival drink, live show and a delicious three-course dinner with beverages.
Dress in your outback best – prizes are up for grabs!
Date: Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Time: Doors open 6:15pm, Show start 7:30pm
Venue: Australian Outback Spectacular, Oxenford
Have you booked separately? If you’d like to sit with another group or person, simply call 13 33 86 and provide the reference numbers. They can assist with joining your booking to another group.
Register below!
PUT YOUR BUSINESS IN FRONT OF PAN PACS VISITORS
The Pan Pacific Masters Games will bring more than 16,000 athletes to the Gold Coast from 6–15 November for 10 days of competition across 41 sports. Many participants and their supporters will be looking for places to eat, stay, shop and explore while they’re here. Local businesses can join the LEGEND-ary Deals Program by offering a discount to visiting athletes and their supporters.
CONNECT WITH THE GOLD COAST ENGINEERING INDUSTRY
EGC, in partnership with Engineers Australia, is bringing together engineering students, graduates, employers and industry professionals for an evening of career insights, industry connections and networking at the Gold Coast Student Hub.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from industry representatives, explore engineering career pathways and employer expectations, and learn more about migration and skills assessment pathways.
An industry panel will share practical insights into building an engineering career on the Gold Coast, followed by an audience Q&A and networking session at Mr PP’s, where attendees can continue the conversation in a relaxed setting.
We encourage our partners to share this opportunity with your students, graduates and industry networks.
Date: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Where: Gold Coast Student Hub, Southport
SEEKING INTEREST FROM GOLD COAST OPERATORS
Ladies Who Travel is seeking interest from Gold Coast experiences, accommodation, wellness, dining and tour operators who are interested in connecting with their Australian travel community of more than 32,000 women, predominantly aged 50+.
For further information, connect directly with Melissa Delaware, founder of Ladies Who Travel.
BUSINESS EVENTS FAMIL OPPORTUNITY - EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST HAVE NOW CLOSED
EGC Business Events have secured a famil with Business Events Australia (BEA). Attendees for this famil are hosted buyers from India.
BEA will be targeting decision makers from top corporates with capacity and history of doing large sized groups to long haul destinations across sectors such as Finance, Automobiles, Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical.
GROUP INFORMATION
Group Size: Up to 13 pax (Including up to 10 corporate customers, 1 airline, 1 travel agent, 1 BEA rep + 1 EGC rep)
Market: India
Type: Corporate Incentive Travel
Dates: Monday 16 to Thursday 19 November 2026
Thank you to those Business Events partners who expressed interest in hosting the famil to showcase their product. We will review the program and be in contact.
QTIC FREE COURSES - AI IN ACTION: TOURISM
Wondering how AI could actually make your working day easier? The Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s free AI in Action: Tourism courses cut through the noise and show you practical ways to use AI, whether you run a tourism business or work in the industry.
The courses are free, online and bite-sized, so you can learn at your own pace and start putting new skills to work straight away.
See what AI could do for you!
FREE EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) has developed a suite of free resources to help Queensland tourism operators enhance their experiences, understand their customers and showcase what makes their business unique.
With practical guidance, case studies and worksheets, the resources cover the visitor journey from inspiration to post-visit, helping turn good ideas into memorable experiences that reflect the Queensland brand.
Explore the resources, including storytelling tools to help bring your unique story to life and create stronger connections with visitors.
KICKSTART YOUR EARLY-CAREER TALENT IN 2027
Expressions of Interest are now open for the 2027 Kickstart Professional Development Program.
EGC Industry Partners are invited to put forward their graduates and early-career employees for a program designed to build confidence, capability and workplace readiness while participants remain engaged in their day-to-day roles. We’d love to see more partners represented in Kickstart 2027.
Through interactive workshops, industry engagement, networking and practical learning, participants develop skills across communication, collaboration, leadership, resilience, professional identity, critical thinking and adaptability.
The program is open to Gold Coast businesses of all sizes and industries, with eligible participants from university, vocational education and training, and other qualification pathways.
Want to see Kickstart in action? Join us as our guest at the Final Presentation.
Confirm your attendance by 21 October here: Kickstart@experiencegoldcoast.com.
BUSINESS EVENT PARTNER PRODUCT UPDATES
Monthly product updates are designed exclusively for our incredible Business Event partners to connect and update our team. May it be a sneak peek or an insider’s look at upcoming developments, team movements, new products, in market and trade event insights or special surprises (we love surprises) – we want to hear from you.
The next monthly product update kicks off per the below details:
Date: Monday 2nd November 2026
Time: 30 – 45 mins per update
Where: Experience Gold Coast office in Broadbeach or online via Teams
How: Email the team at businessevents@experiencegoldcoast.com to allocate a time.
BUSINESS EVENTS PARTNERS – SHARE YOUR NEWS
Our client newsletter, Uniquely Gold Coast, is a quarterly connection to all things Gold Coast. From local supplier updates and inspiring city stories to thought leadership and insightful case studies, our newsletter is designed to keep clients informed and engaged.
If you have any new products, services, or case studies you'd like us to feature, please send them our way - we’d love to include them in an upcoming issue.
NEWS AND INSIGHTS
CONNECTING ACROSS KEY MARKETS: TAIWAN, SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA
Last month, EGC led a sales mission to Taipei, Singapore and Malaysia. The mission set out to benchmark the Gold Coast's competitive position against rival destinations, and to gain deeper insight into these markets, including traveller behaviour, distribution channels and emerging demand, across leisure, business events and study tours. Above all, we prioritised listening and learning from our partners. Across 25 appointments, we engaged more than 45 contacts from trade partners, OTAs, airlines, industry bodies and trade media, strengthening relationships and informing our future market strategy.
STRENGTHENING GOLD COAST EDUCATION CONNECTIONS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA
EGC recently joined more than 30 Australian education institutions at the VENTE Australia Education and Innovation Summit, connecting with students, education partners, industry and government representatives across Santiago, Bogotá and Mexico City.
The program was an opportunity to showcase the breadth of the Gold Coast’s education offering, strengthen awareness of the destination and hear directly from the partners supporting students and families across Latin America.
We were proud to participate alongside Queensland Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates MP, Trade and Investment Queensland CEO Justin McGowan, and Department of Trade, Employment and Training Director-General Peter McKay.
Thank you to Study Queensland, Study Melbourne, StudyPerth, Western Australia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Australia’s diplomatic network and all the partners who welcomed and supported us throughout the program.
DEEPENING GOLD COAST’S ENGAGEMENT IN BRAZIL
Brazil continues to be an important market for the Gold Coast, with long-standing relationships across education, industry, government and the student community.
In São Paulo, we recently brought together almost 40 education stakeholders for our EGC Education Briefing and Networking Event, sharing the Gold Coast’s destination proposition and exchanging insights on the market. We also met with Australian Consul-General Gabrielle Hall and Belta, strengthening our understanding of the market and opportunities for future collaboration.
Our engagement also opened the door to new city-to-city and institutional connections. In Curitiba, we met with Mayor Eduardo Pimentel Slaviero to explore opportunities for collaboration between Curitiba and the Gold Coast across education, the visitor economy and civic engagement.
Thank you to our partners and stakeholders across Brazil for their generous hospitality, insights and continued commitment to the Gold Coast, as well as Austrade and Trade and Investment Queensland for their ongoing support.
A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF INCENTIVE TRAVEL AT ITS VERY BEST
The Gold Coast recently welcomed approximately 1,600 Employment Hero team members for their Global Gathering - what unfolded was so much more than simply bringing a large group together.
This was an organisation that understood the purpose of incentive travel: to recognise and reward its people, create meaningful connections and build a company culture that employees genuinely want to be part of.
Across the week, Employment Hero used the Gold Coast as part of the experience itself. From taking over Dorsett Gold Coast and The Star Gold Coast precinct to an unforgettable evening at Village Roadshow Theme Parks Movie World, to activating Kurrawa Park and HOTA, the program showcased the breadth of our city while creating memorable moments at every turn.
Working alongside the City of Gold Coast, Tourism and Events Queensland and our Industry Partners, EGC were proud to help bring the program to life - supporting Employment Hero to create an exceptional experience for its people while generating millions of dollars in economic impact for our destination.
TEAM QUEENSLAND STRENGTHENS JAPAN MARKET CONNECTIONS
EGC joined Team Queensland in Japan as part of a senior delegation led by Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Craig Davidson.
Alongside representatives from Brisbane and Cairns, EGC met with Japanese tourism and airline partners to explore opportunities to grow visitation, strengthen aviation connectivity and build deeper industry relationships between Queensland and Japan.
The delegation also represented Queensland at the Japan Tourism Expo, showcasing the strength and diversity of Queensland’s tourism offering and the exciting opportunities ahead, including new tourism infrastructure and Brisbane 2032.
BEA GREATER CHINA SHOWCASE
EGC participated in Business Events Australia (BEA) Showcase Nanjing last month.
The event brought together 31 incentive agents, 23 corporate buyers and 10 media representatives from Greater China. EGC held nearly 60 meeting appointments throughout the show. Among corporate attendees, 60% are from direct‑selling sectors, and 57% have previously run incentive groups in Australia. 80% of agent buyers have visited Australia, and all hold viable incentive‑group business potential.
The showcase covered Australian MICE trends, alongside team‑building activities and panel discussions. These sessions offered all buyers and sellers fresh insights into Australia’s business events and incentive travel offerings. We held productive conversations, presented destination support policies and built a solid pipeline of high‑quality business leads.
PUT YOUR IDEAS TO THE TEST WITH GOLD COAST TOURISM LEADERS
International students studying in Queensland are invited to take part in the Gold Coast Study Queensland Tourism Innovation Challenge, delivered in collaboration with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council as part of Tourism Week.
Spend a day working with leading tourism organisations, including Queensland Airports Limited and EGC, with more industry partners to be announced.
Working in teams and guided by industry experts, you’ll tackle real-world business challenges, develop innovative solutions and pitch your ideas to a panel of judges.
Open to international students from all academic backgrounds, the challenge is a great opportunity to gain practical industry experience, build employability skills, expand your professional network and add a valuable experience to your CV.
BRAZIL WEEK EDUCATION DAY CELEBRATES GOLD COAST’S BRAZILIAN STUDENT COMMUNITY
EGC was proud to welcome students, alumni, education providers, agents, migration professionals, community leaders and industry partners to Brazil Week Education Day 2026 at the Gold Coast Student Hub.
Delivered in partnership with the Australia-Brazil Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), the event celebrated the strong connection between Brazil and the Gold Coast, while recognising the important contribution Brazilian students make to the city’s international education community.
The evening brought together representatives from Griffith University, Bond University, Southern Cross University, TAFE Queensland and the Queensland Department of Education, alongside tourism and industry partners. We were also pleased to welcome Councillor Brooke Patterson.
CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND CONNECTION AT BOND UNIVERSITY
EGC was proud to join Bond University’s Kumai Karulbo Indigenous Gala, celebrating First Nations culture, connection and the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
As a proud supporter of Bond’s Indigenous Education Program, we thank Bond University for welcoming EGC and our guests to this special evening, which raises vital funds for Indigenous scholarships and helps create greater opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Congratulations to the Bond team on another successful event and their continued commitment to supporting Indigenous students and strengthening pathways to higher education.
Source: CoStar. Data correct as at 7 October 2026
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.