3 April 2025
AUSTRALIAN TOURISM AWARDS FINALISTS
We would like to congratulate all our Gold Coast finalists who entered the 40th Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Adelaide last month.
Industry partners Gold Coast Aqua Park, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamborine Mountain Glades and Sea World Cruises all advanced to the national awards after winning their state categories.
A special congratulations to Sea World Cruises for their incredible win in the Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services category - an outstanding recognition of their world-class hospitality offering.
VALE TO PETER O’REILLY
With the passing of Peter “Big Pete” O'Reilly on March 5, the Australian ecotourism industry has lost a legendary icon. "Big Pete” was a true Guardian of the Rainforest and the beloved patriarch of the O'Reilly family.
Big Pete and his brother, Vince became managers of O’Reilly’s Guesthouse in the early 1950s. Together with their wives, they ran the business for the next 40 years, carefully managing its growth and development.
Big Pete’s working life was committed to introducing visitors to the wonders of Lamington National Park and he never stopped looking for ecotourism innovations that would enhance that visitor experience. His dream to immerse himself high amongst the rainforest canopy resulted in the world’s first Tree Top Walk. The walk has been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people from various cultures and nationalities over the years.
Big Pete will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him, and our thoughts are with his family. We recognise Big Pete and the entire O’Reilly family for their outstanding contribution to our tourism industry.
EGC NZ REGIONAL ROADSHOW
Last month, we hosted two regional roadshow trade events in Hamilton and Dunedin, New Zealand alongside 12 EGC tourism operators and representatives from Jetstar and Gold Coast Airport. The objective was to provide a platform for our Gold Coast operators to strengthen and establish relationships with New Zealand travel trade partners at inbound, wholesale and retail agent level.
Destination and product updates were presented to over 100 travel agents who attended the events, in the lead up to Jetstar’s new direct services from Hamilton and Dunedin to the Gold Coast, commencing in June this year. Both services will take off three times a week, creating more than 115,000 new low fares seats every year across the Tasman.
The operators also participated in Tourism and Events Queensland’s (TEQ) ‘Queensland is Calling’ New Zealand event during the week meeting with over 150 retail travel agents in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
TRADE INCENTIVE NEW ZEALAND
Experience Gold Coast, in partnership with Jetstar, has launched a two-month trade incentive promotion in New Zealand, in the lead-up to the launch of new services to the Gold Coast from both Hamilton and Dunedin.
The top 20 highest-selling retail travel agents will win their seat on the Gold Coast Mega Famil, to be held in July.
This promotion was a key point of discussion at the recent EGC mission to New Zealand and will support continued strong bookings on the new Jetstar services.
EGC TAIWAN MISSION
In early March, we hosted a trade mission to Taiwan, with 10 EGC tourism operators in attendance. The three-day visit to Taiwan, provided an opportunity for destination and product updates to over 30 key distribution partners in Taipei, including travel agencies, wholesalers, online travel agents, and inbound tour operators.
The visit included a trade dinner with industry, supported by Trade and Investment Queensland, Tourism and Events Queensland, and Austrade.
Taiwan is a key market for the Gold Coast, with strong recovery post-Covid, and supported by the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF) with China Airlines and EVA Air direct Taipei-Brisbane services.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MISSION – INDIA
In the lead-up to the EGC Taiwan mission, we completed a business development mission to two growth markets - India and Singapore.
Visitation from India to the Gold Coast has grown by 12% in the past year, with further growth expected in the next 12 months. Over the two-day mission, Experience Gold Coast met with key trade partners, ITO’s and tourism partners, discussing aviation access, market performance, consumer marketing, campaign performance and new activity aimed at driving continued growth across leisure and MICE sectors.
We also filmed a segment with Veena World, showcasing the diversity of experiences available on the Gold Coast.
CASE STUDY: SUN SAILING SHINES WITH TRADE READY TRAINING
The Trade Ready Training Program provided by TEQ and delivered by the Queensland Regional Tourism Network (QRTN) helps new tourism products engage with international tour operators. The culmination of this program saw Sun Sailing take part in Australian Tourism Export Council’s (ATEC) Queensland Showcase New Product Workshop in Sydney recently.
Catherine Robertson, owner of Sun Sailing, met and networked with inbound tour operators and online travel agents (buyers) who are looking to contract new business.
Having undertaken a recognised International Trade Ready Training Program over the past three years and being able to provide inbound contracted net rates at relevant commission levels, Sun Sailing was able to pitch to 30 inbound tour operator product managers in a trade event environment. This opportunity supported their pathway to international trade readiness.
If you’d like to learn more about opportunities to engage with international markets, email judy.quodling@experiencegoldcoast.com.
QUEENSLAND IS CALLING CHINA
Experience Gold Coast has just completed a successful Queensland is Calling China, supported by seven Gold Coast industry partners.
Across the four-day event, meetings were held with buyers from across Greater China and Hong Kong in Hangzhou and Shenzhen. In addition to business development meetings with buyers, the team also delivered in-depth industry training sessions with sales agents attracting 150 travel industry participants.
Further activity included industry training sessions with New Star in Shenzhen, a live stream with GZL, and in-person training with Kings Tour in Changsha. A joint trade seminar with TEQ and Beijing Fresh Holiday was also scheduled in Guiyang and Kunming, aiming to target over 200 industry participants.
INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES
GOLD COAST NATURE-BASED TOURISM PROGRAM LAUNCH
Due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the Gold Coast Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) Program Launch has been rescheduled for Wednesday, 7 May at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
This event will unveil funding and support opportunities for new and existing tourism businesses, showcase exciting city-led projects, and feature guest speakers on future opportunities in nature-based tourism. Attendees will also experience Astra Lumina, a new and immersive night-time attraction.
RSVP now to learn how to get involved in this exciting new program and join industry leaders, investors and tourism operators for an afternoon of insights, networking and innovation.
For more information, visit cityofgoldcoast.com.au/NatureBasedTourismProgram
Limited spots available.
UNLOCK YOUR TEAM'S HOSTING POTENTIAL
Sign-up to the online training anytime.
Why you should do the course:
- enhance guest experience and service excellence
- build destination knowledge and industry connections
- join a Queensland-wide network of trained hosts.
Who can participate?
The program is ideal for any staff and volunteers that welcome and host guests such as people working in hotels, tourism attractions, retail, hospitality, transport and events. The course takes 1-1.5 hours and can be completed over a 6-week period.
FREE PERSONALISED ATDW SUPPORT
Are you wondering if your Tourism Business Profile could work harder for you, but not sure where to start? Standing out online is a challenge for all businesses. That’s why Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) offers free one-on-one profile optimisation sessions to help you succeed.
The friendly team of experts will guide you in enhancing your profile to attract more customers. Boost your visibility and connect with the right audience.
Visit the ATDW website today and book your one-on-one session.
TOURISM AUSTRALIA'S SINGAPORE 60TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN
2025 marks a landmark year for Singapore, as the nation celebrates its 60th anniversary of independence. Along with this historic milestone, Singapore and Australia will commemorate 60 years of strong bilateral relations. To capitalise on this significant cultural moment, Tourism Australia are running a conversion campaign with tactical airfares throughout April and May 2025, to further strengthen Australia's positioning in this key market.
Gold Coast operators are encouraged to support the campaign by providing promotional offers that include a ‘60’ reference and submitting these offers via your preferred ITO's and KDP's in the Singaporean market.
MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
DAVID FLEAY WILDLIFE PARK REOPENS
On Saturday, 5 April, David Fleay Wildlife Park is hosting a special 'Locals Day' with FREE entry for Burleigh residents, in celebration of its reopening post ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Embrace the park's natural beauty, meet and hear the tales of our cherished wildlife, and uncover their impactful conservation stories. Discover how Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers work diligently across the State to preserve our ecosystems and learn the simple actions you can take starting in your own backyard.
Join us this celebratory day to reconnect with nature. Come and embrace the great outdoors!
LIST ON THE DEAL FINDER APP FOR FREE!
The Deal Finder app is now completely free for all Hospitality, Tourism and Entertainment businesses to advertise their in-house daily and weekly deals.
Do you have a lunch special, trivia night, midweek deal, buffet, steak night, live music? Now locals and tourists can find this all-in-one place. NO COST AT ALL!
Sign up via the Merchant Portal. It has never been easier for locals and tourists to find affordable options and continue to support local business.
Follow Deal Finder on Instagram and Facebook or contact the Deal Finder team for more information.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
YOUR LEASING CO.
Your Leasing Co., a team of experienced lease negotiators who specialise in negotiating favourable lease terms on behalf of tenants, is proud to partner with Experience Gold Coast.
Your Leasing Co. is ‘A Voice for Tenants’ proudly bringing over 25 years of lease negotiation experience to EGC members, offering FREE lease reviews and specialist support on lease related issues.
Since its inception, Your Leasing Co. has generated over $13 million in savings and added value for the tenants they represent, with an average saving on a five-year lease of around $112,500.
If you are seeking better terms on your next lease, simply visit their landing page dedicated to EGC members or contact their friendly team today.
PARADISE TOURS
Join them for unforgettable day tours to Byron Bay, Noosa, Lamington National Park, Tamborine National Park, Springbrook National Park, North Stradbroke Island, and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Designed for adventurous young travellers, the tours dive deep into each location, offering over 12 hours of immersive exploration.
Departing from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, you can enhance your experience with optional activities like surfing lessons, kayaking, whale watching, snorkelling, scuba diving, wildlife encounters, jet skiing, and more.
Whether you're seeking adventure or relaxation, the perfect journey awaits with Paradise Tours.
GOLD COAST CATERING COMPANY
QUICK SNIPPETS
- Tourism businesses can reach valuable new markets by becoming more accessible. Read the WELCOME Framework - a free and easy-to-read guide with simple, practical tips to help tourism businesses to become more accessible.
VIEW THE 27 FEBRUARY 2025 VISITOR ECONOMY UPDATE
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.