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by Cairns Local News

The Queensland Government and Tourism Tropical North Queensland will offer additional tourism vouchers to 5000 tourists in the Far North in coming weeks as part of an extension of the region’s successful Cairns Holiday Dollars program.

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the move was a concentrated push to support tourism operators over the shoulder season.

“Supporting our tourism industry to rebuild and recover from the pandemic is an important part of our economic recovery plan,” Minister Hinchliffe said.

KEY POINTS:

• An additional 5000 ‘$200 experience vouchers’ will be offered
• Visitors already on the ground in FNQ will be targeted using Facebook to register for a voucher
• The ‘Experience Vouchers’ has encouraged visitors to Cairns to try different ways to enjoy our World Heritage areas
•  Vouchers would be offered to tourists between 4 May and 25 June 20

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the move was a concentrated push to support tourism operators over the shoulder season.

“Supporting our tourism industry to rebuild and recover from the pandemic is an important part of our economic recovery plan,” Minister Hinchliffe said.

“We’ve seen how well this campaign has supported Cairns tourism businesses so far and we want to keep that visitor spending flowing in the local economy.

“That’s why we’ll distribute 5000 vouchers worth $200 each to people already on holidays in the region using Facebook’s audience targeting tools.

“When we launched this campaign; we expected it would deliver at least $1 for tourism businesses for every $1 of government investment – but what we’ve actually seen so far is for every $1 of government investment, $3 is flowing to operators, providing a significant boost right across the visitor economy.

“We want to keep stimulating that spend and supporting businesses across the region.”

Mr Hinchliffe said the instant vouchers would be offered to tourists between 4 May and 25 June 2021.

“Based on experiences in other states, when we launched this pilot campaign, we knew there would be a number of vouchers that would not be redeemed,’ Mr Hinchliffe said.

“This will ensure these vouchers don’t go to waste and support tourism operators through what is traditionally a quiet time of year for the industry.”

Assistant Tourism Minister and Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the 5000 vouchers would be distributed using Facebook’s audience targeting tools to serve people already in the region.

“This will deliver an immediate shot in the arm for tourism operators – supporting local jobs at a time we need it most,” he said.

“Our vouchers initiative was designed to generate bookings for operators doing it tough throughout Cairns and the Far North. That’s exactly what it’s achieved.

“Today’s announcement will give thousands of tourists an opportunity to explore this beautiful part of the world.

“They can then use the voucher immediately for up to 50 per cent off tourism experiences, up to a value of $200.

“With the huge success of the vouchers in this region so far, we want to boost the visitor spend flowing into the local economy in the period leading up to the next school holidays.

“People who already have vouchers from the original draw will still be able to redeem their voucher if they haven’t already.”

Mr Healy said tourism businesses in the region were providing glowing feedback about the campaign.

“Cairns Holiday Dollars has really provided a strong sense of positivity for the region and tourism operators have seen real outcomes from this initiative,” he said.

“By targeting people already in the region, we hope to see very strong redemption rates and more visitor spending flowing throughout the region.”

Katherine Cutler, Senior Sales Manager with Entrada has experienced a great response from locals supporting Spirit of Cairns.

“Locals have supported us, they have redeemed the vouchers and supported the Spirit of Cairns Dinner Cruises.”

Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the Cairns Holiday Dollars had turned the spotlight on the region’s world-class experiences.

“The feedback from operators has been great as it has not only brought them increased business, it has changed the way Australians want to holiday in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region,” he said.

“The incentive of receiving $200 to spend on an experience has encouraged Australians to try different ways of enjoying our World Heritage areas.

“Great Barrier Reef trips have been the most popular, but we have also seen strong bookings for rainforest trips, dinner cruises, hot air ballooning and wildlife parks.”

Published by Cairns Local News

by Cairns Local News

LAUNCH FNQ is inviting entrepreneurs, founders, start-ups and investors from all over Australia to attend the world-first Tropical Innovation Festival, taking place directly on the Great Barrier Reef in June.

The week-long festival will bring together a range of businesspeople from all over the country to provide invaluable access to advice, education and networking.

Innovators have the chance to learn in the heart of the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef in a world-first event that sees masterclasses take place on a dive boat.

Event Manager Kate Montgomery says the unconventional approach to the event offers unique connections.

“We’ve found that some of the best experiences at conferences come from the more relaxed moments,” says Kate. “That’s when you develop those really great connections, because you’ve had fun and shared an experience with somebody.”

“That’s why we had this dream about the entrepreneurs on the reef – we’re going to mix the education with the experience. You could be diving with an investor or having a chat with someone who specialises in media.

With more than 50 events and world-class speakers, the Tropical Innovations Festival boasts contributions from global entrepreneurs, CEOs, investors and more.

Program Manager Tara Diversi says it’s a rare opportunity to showcase the region to such high calibre guests.

“We’ve got people committed from Western Australia through to Adelaide and Melbourne, including our keynote speakers Cathie Reid, a self-made billionaire from the Icon Group; Glen Richard of former Shark Tank fame; and Dr Sarah Pearson, the DDG of Innovate Queensland,” she says.

Kate says attendees can take part in their choice of workshops, masterclasses, networking events, pitching opportunities, mentoring sessions and more over the seven days.

The festival will run from June 7 – 13.

To purchase tickets, go to www.events.humanitix.com/tropical-innovation-festival.

Published by Cairns Local News

by Cairns Local News

A compelling example of recycling’s circular economy at work in our state has been displayed with a road project in North Queensland incorporating recycled glass as a substitute for sand.

In a first for a state-controlled road in Queensland, the demonstration project undertaken by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), involved using recycled crushed glass (aggregate) as an alternative to natural or manufactured sand for use in asphalt.

The recycled glass had been collected from bottles returned through the Containers for Change refund deposit scheme in the Cairns area.

TMR is actively finding ways to use recycled crushed glass as a substitute for sand or aggregate in road materials.

Using recycled materials has the potential to deliver benefits such as cost savings, reducing landfill, protecting the environment and our lifestyle, supporting a circular economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The works on a 1.2 kilometre section of Millaa Millaa – Malanda Road were carried out by Pioneer North Queensland (PNQ) as part of the TMR reseal program. The works incorporated recycled glass produced from over a million bottles which created more than 200 tons of crushed glass.

On this project asphalt manufactured with five percent recycled glass was incorporated into the top layer with underlying repairs completed using asphalt manufactured with 10 percent recycled glass.

Ken Noye is the chief executive of Container Exchange, the not for profit organisation that administers the Containers for Change scheme in Queensland.

The scheme has been running for two years with more than 3 billion containers exchanged for refund and kept out of landfill or the environment.

Mr Noye said developing markets for recycled materials was an important focus in growing the circular economy in the state.

Using recycled glass products in the actual area they are collected also has added environmental impacts through the reduction of transport emissions.

“The Containers for Change scheme has ambitious targets and we have already exchanged three billion containers which has injected $300 million into the community and produced a 54 per cent decrease in beverage container litter in the environment,” said Mr Noye.

“A vital function of this scheme is to generate economic activity for Queensland.

“Some recycled materials have ready-made markets, while others such as glass need to be developed.

“This project demonstrates a way to apply a sustainable recycled material by utilising it in the construction of roads.

“It is a viable and beneficial alternative to using natural or manufactured sand.

“There are also positive sustainability impacts in this project because the recycled product was sourced from glass collected locally through the Containers for Change scheme.

“This forgoes the need to transport the glass to another destination for recycling and saves the emissions that transport would create.

“This also reduces truck movements and traffic, which adds to the other benefits of the project including a reduction in landfill and the saving of the need to quarry a precious natural resource.”

The laying of the new section of road took three weeks to complete.

For more information on Containers for Change, see https://www.containersforchange.com.au/

Published by Cairns Local News