Leading tourism operators from across Queensland descended on the Sunshine Coast last week for the largest tourism industry gathering in the state.
The Sunshine Coast was central to action last week as it hosted three of Queensland's leading tourism events.
More than 900 delegates converged on the newly built Sunshine Coast Convention Centre and Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort for the functions, which began on Wednesday with the indigenous tourism event, Destination IQ.
The industry showcase continued throughout Thursday and Friday with Destination Q, which carried the theme ‘Tourism Beyond 2020 – Innovating for the Future’, before culminating in the Queensland Tourism Awards on Friday night.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford said hosting the sold-out events on the Sunshine Coast was a massive coup for the region.
“We were incredibly excited to roll out the red carpet for Queensland’s tourism industry,” Mr Latchford said.
“Hosting these events is an opportunity to showcase to the rest of the state the quality and diversity of product we have to offer, which we believe elevates our region’s status to one of Australia’s leading tourism and business events destinations.
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“Our tourism industry is going from strength to strength, with the Sunshine Coast delivering its highest ever international and domestic visitor numbers in the year to June 30, 2019 – and leading the State in overseas visitor growth, according to the latest figures from Tourism Research Australia.
“The $100 million acquisition of Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort by the Shakespeare Property Group last year was an incredible vote of confidence for our region, and the launch of the $10 million Sunshine Coast Convention Centre earlier this year has dramatically increased our capability to host conferences and business events.
Mr Latchford the region's tourism prospects looked bright.
“The Sunshine Coast Airport’s new international runway scheduled to open in 2020, with the addition of new flights from domestic and international markets sure to benefit leisure travellers and make conference and event travel to the region far more attractive," he said.
“This is complemented by the $6 million redevelopment of The Events Centre Caloundra, an extensive range of development proposals for new hotels across the region and the construction of the new Maroochydore CBD.”
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