View past editions of Eye on Q

29 April 2021 Tourism and events industry news

Three travel voucher campaigns under way

Queensland’s Holiday Dollars program is now in full swing, with three campaigns for Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane and the Whitsundays currently being delivered.

Combined, the campaigns offer Queenslanders 51,000 travel voucher discounts on tourism experiences in the regions most impacted by the loss of international visitors.

The draw for Brisbane Holiday Dollars vouchers is currently open, with more than 83,000 Queenslanders already completing their registration in the hope of securing a $100 voucher to be used for accommodation and tourism experiences in the wider Brisbane region over the coming months. The Whitsundays Holiday Dollars campaign is set to kick off next Tuesday, where people already in the region can claim a $200 voucher from local outlets to use towards tourism experiences like trips to the reef, Whitehaven Beach and touring the Whitsunday Coast.

Also kicking off next Tuesday is a boost to the Cairns Holiday Dollars campaign, where 5,000 vouchers worth $200 each (inc. GST) will be distributed to people already on holidays in the region using Facebook’s audience targeting tools. The instantly downloadable voucher codes can be used for bookings immediately, through to 25 June.

Planning for a campaign for the Gold Coast is under way.

READ MORE

May comes alive with sporting events state-wide

Queensland will be a hive of sporting activity next month, with a series of events drawing fans from across the country to the Sunshine State.

In addition to NRL Magic Round in Brisbane, there’s the Straddie Salute, the Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast and the GBR Master Games in Cairns, among many others. In Townsville, the Queensland Government last week announced it had secured the Reds’ Trans-Tasman clash against the -based Chiefs to be played in Townsville on 29 May, the day after the Cowboys’ clash against the New Zealand Warriors, setting up the city for a potential influx of kiwi footy fans.

Sports events on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar in May alone could contribute more than $31 million to the state’s economy.

If you’d like to promote events happening in your region, there’s plenty of great content you can share from our dedicated page helping travellers explore the state’s events. Find content relevant for your region or business and share with your followers.

EXPLORE EVENTS

Summer Reef Snapshot released Summer is a critical time for the health of coral. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s latest Reef Snapshot provides a summary of the conditions on the reef this summer, what this means for coral, and what actions are under way. It also shows that reef recovery is ongoing, with a lack of prolonged high temperatures and cyclonic disturbances allowing the reef’s recovery process to continue throughout this summer.

SEE THE SNAPSHOT International marketing update

TEQ was Australia’s first tourism organisation (and the world’s second) to run a live stream through WeChat’s new live stream channel last week with four hours of koala and kangaroo cuteness streamed to Chinese consumers from Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The unique insight into one of the state’s most iconic wildlife parks attracted almost 60,000 unique viewers and more than 70,000 likes through three WeChat channels (WeChat, Tourism Australia’s and TEQ’s accounts). TEQ partnered with WeChat to run the live stream, targeting consumers to keep Queensland top of mind and to continue to inspire them with our thriving nature and tourism experiences.

In the UK, Tourism Australia led dedicated ‘Australia Training Weeks’ with Trailfinders and Flight Centre across March and April 2021, in partnership with each of the states and territories. Two 30-minute-long training sessions focused on the Southern Great Barrier Reef region (in partnership with Bundaberg Tourism) and Brisbane (with Brisbane Economic Development Agency). There was also an evening mindfulness event which included a colouring-in activity and a guided meditation, along with an update on the Year of Indigenous Tourism. More than 200 agents attended the events.

Get ready for ATE - in preparation for this year's Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE21), Tourism Australia has completed a series of market briefings for the Australian industry. You can review all the briefings here. COVID-19 latest: what you need to know

From this Saturday, 1 May 2021 use of the Check In Qld app will be mandatory for hospitality businesses. All other businesses are also strongly encouraged to use the app which is simple and easy for guests and businesses to use.

There are current contact tracing alerts and public health advice in place for people who’ve recently been in the Perth and Peel regions of Western Australia, Melbourne Airport and New Zealand. If you have guests staying or travelling with you who've recently been in these areas, please ensure they are aware of the public health advice in place.

Business support and opportunities

Looking for funding or business support? If your business has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, you may be eligible for financial assistance or other types of relief. Use the Queensland Government's business assistance finder tool to discover what support is available from the Queensland and Australian governments, plus Queensland local councils. The Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Grants Gateway also provides a curated list of available funding grants and programs across Australia that are relevant to businesses in Queensland's tourism industry. The Grants Gateway is a free resource for QTIC members.

TEQ's Conversations with Industry Fraser Coast: 10:00am - 2:00pm, Thursday 6 May 2021 Connect with the latest insights, TEQ’s marketing and event activities and opportunities to get involved. Presentations will be specifically tailored for each region to maximise the benefits you’ll receive by attending this event.

ATEC's Restart Ready Roundtables Brisbane: 4:00pm - 7:00pm, Thursday 13 May 2021 Gold Coast: 10:30am - 12:oopm, Friday 14 May 2021 Cairns: save the date, Thursday 20 May 2021 The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) is pleased to announce a national members-only roadshow across the country to gather member intel and insights into what exactly will constitute a successful international restart so that a comprehensive and informed Restart Ready blueprint to guide industry’s recovery can be developed and shared at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE).

New Korea Host Program Queensland virtual program commences Tuesday 25 May 2021 ATEC together with Tourism Australia are delighted to announce the new Korea Host program - an industry development program endorsed by government and industry leaders of the South Korean travel trade. You can learn more about Korean culture and how to make guests feel safe and welcome through an interactive online learning program, full of case studies and insights delivered in three 90-minute modules.

INDUSTRY CALENDAR Quick snippets

The Australian Government has committed to funding half of the infrastructure costs should Queensland secure the 2032 Olympic Games.

The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has announced it will extend its program out to a month of floral festivities.

Please ensure [email protected] is on your ‘safe’ list to ensure you continue to receive our updates.

Feedback on Eye on Q is welcomed at [email protected].

TEQ is working towards becoming a White Ribbon Accredited Workplace.

Tourism and Events Queensland acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.

View past editions of Eye on Q

This email is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is confidential or privileged. If you receive this email in error please notify the sender. If you would like to no longer receive these emails please unsubscribe below.

Unsubscribe

© Tourism and Events Queensland