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Cairns will be at the centre of Queensland tourism this week with its hosting of the state tourism industry's annual premier events - the Destination IQ and DestinationQ Forums along with the Queensland Tourism Awards gala ceremony.

Among the first major trade events to be held at the Cairns Convention Centre following its $176 million expansion, the three events are set to bring government and industry leaders together to consider the future of the industry, discuss key tourism and events issues, and prioritise to keep Queensland competitive as a destination.

DestinationQ
One of the nation's most successful Paralympians and former Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott AO is keynote speaker for the Destination Q Forum.

Alcott is a leading inclusion advocate for Australians living with disability and in Queensland's Year of Accessible Tourism will deliver Destination Q's main presentation.

High profile brand marketing expert Todd Sampson and economic commentator Nikki Hutley will join Alcott as Destination Q speakers.

Better tourism accessibility is a recommendation of the industry led Towards Tourism 2032 roadmap to promote Queensland as the world's all-abilities destination of choice, ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Destination IQ
Now in its 11th iteration, Queensland Tourism Industry Council's Destination IQ 2023, supported by the Queensland Government and Tourism and Events Queensland, is the state's foremost annual First Nation tourism conference.

Delegates and industry professionals from all backgrounds and from across the state gather to discuss opportunities, hear the latest trends and recognise First Nations tourism achievements. 

Comment
Looking forward to hosting the events as the region ramps up its international tourism recovery,

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive, Mark Olsen stated “this will be an economic boost for Cairns and a great opportunity to showcase the completed Cairns Convention Centre and our world-class tourism experiences to the industry and media," he said.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Chief Executive, Brett Fraser stressed the importance of hosting the most significant annual events on Queensland's tourism industry calendar, adding “(this) will allow Cairns to showcase the breadth and depth of the city's venues, products, and experiences.

"An event of this scale will go a long way to supporting the region's economy and the flow-on benefits will be felt by the many retailers, accommodation providers and local experiences."

Grants
The Queensland Government has opened on a $5 million round of Accessible Tourism Elevate Fund Access Starter and Access Project grants for Queensland's Year of Accessible Tourism.

Access Project Grants of up to $250,000 are open to eligible tourism operators, not-for-profits, regional tourism organisations and local governments.

Key dates:

• Destination IQ - Wednesday 22nd November
• DestinationQ Forum - Thursday 23rd November
• Queensland Tourism Awards - Friday 24th November

Click here for more information on these and other tourism events in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: Cairns Indigenous tourism (top, credit: Tourism and Events Queensland) and the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon (below, credit: Queensland Tourism Industry Council).

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