Exploring Tropical North Queensland: An interview with Tara Bennett

International portfolio director, Iain Stirling, spoke with Tara Bennett, general manager of partnership & events at Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) about why Tropical North Queensland stands out as a prime destination for business events, combining diverse experiences with simplicity and cutting-edge technology. The discussion included the importance of integrating indigenous cultures into event programming, and emphasising sustainability, including reducing carbon emissions and preserving the region’s ecosystem. First of all, can you elaborate on TTNQ (Tourism Tropical North Queensland) and how it promotes the region’s unique offerings and facilities when it comes to business events? As the region’s DMO, we see ourselves as storytellers. We have the ability to connect with media, buyers and be able to share the region’s story, which for us, is really led by our natural assets of the destination. We work really collaboratively with our industry, so that we understand each of their unique offerings, and then we can really speak with authority when we’re representing the destination. One new addition to your offering is the opening of the newly refurbished convention centre, the Cairns Convention Centre. How does the centre and it’s strategic location, contribute to the region’s economic development? The expansion of the convention centre has been a critical piece of infrastructure for us to really leap forward in our business events offering, we’re particularly excited by the way it’s embraced the outdoors, the natural light that it’s able to use, and really connecting delegates with the setting that they’re within. So it has such a point of difference, I think, to centres that you find in city locations. Added to that, though, is being that it’s the latest build that it allows us to elevate our technical capability as a destination where we are a regional centre, and we understand that sometimes means that organisers feel that they may not have access to that level of capability. It allows us to have world class facilities that now match our world class natural assets. And then talking about the strategic location, I think that’s in two parts. One, we pride ourselves on being a walkable city within Cairns, so all of the major hotels are within walking distance of the Cairns Convention Centre. That creates such a personalised experience for people when they come into the region, you feel like you’re really connected with it, because if you’re waking up in the morning, you might have a walk along the Cairns Esplanade, basking in the sunshine, looking at the ocean, and then after breakfast, you’re walking straight to the convention centre to get down to business for the day, again as the sessions come to a close, and you might be out walking, hearing the bird life. That connectivity for a world class centre to have people in and amongst the city and the natural environment really means that that positioning helps us tell our story, as well as being, the place to do business in nature,   Having visited the centre personally, I completely I agree, the unique location of the centre makes it worthwhile, and coupled with the scenery as well, it’s very hard to beat, that’s for sure. And it’s certainly not a leading message for us, but at the same time, it is a unique way for people to be able to experience the destination. So, we’re very fortunate in how accessible everything is in the one centre. So Tropical North Queensland is a pivotal hub for tropical health and life sciences in particular. How do you envision events and conferences in these sectors facilitating knowledge exchange and advancements in such areas as tropical infectious diseases, biopharmaceuticals and natural resources? How do those fit into the business landscape? We have two thriving universities based in Cairns, and so we’re really leaning into the capabilities of those universities, with some leading professors that are able to then connect with business events that are taking place. So, we’re really identifying some of our region’s leaders and the way that they can interact with business events in the destination. We are quite a small community, so you tend to know people. It might just be from soccer on the weekend, that it is the level of connection that we have where we can really call on people, you know, key identities in these industries, to become part of a programme. And then we do see opportunities for that exchange to be lengthened, and the legacy that associations in particular, can leave for our area as well as their industry. And on that note as well was, one part that was always quite amazing to see is obviously the Cairns aquarium, how that’s built privately, in terms of where it is right now, and its immersive exhibits and commitment to marine conservation, that’s quite an astonishing project there, and showing how the reef restoration. How can you include this as an offering for business events? A facility like the aquarium and the Coral Reef Biobank is almost a gift to an organisation like us. It’s located in the centre of Cairns. They are providing an incredible way to demystify sustainability and the roles that we as humans can play in preserving diversity and sustainability across our natural assets. So for us, it’s making sure that we are elevating that offering and really putting it forward. So sometimes people aren’t always considering within their CSR programmes what that might look like. And it is one we find we have to really break it down, because when you sort of say it’s a Coral Reef Biobank, you’re like, think of Noah’s Ark for coral. But having a facility like that that is just so accessible and can be incorporated as a small part of a programme, but it can also be a thought provoker, and I think that’s where we can really inspire programmes through some of the activations. The turtle rehabilitation programme as well, is a key project, which the Convention Centre sponsor, so the nature side of things is obviously a key component of what you have to offer. It is and we understand that groups are going to come to the destination because they are here for their conference or their global meeting. However, there’s ways that we can incorporate some of these incredible facilities or programmes like the turtle rehabilitation in a meaningful way that allows us to tell more of the destination story as well. And sustainability is a layer that, like it’s a part of every part of our region. And I think we really bring that to life through many of the aspects, whether it’s accommodation experience, delivery or even the food scene as well. Cairns is obviously a gateway to the northeast part of Australia. Now looking at the importance of Cairns airport and its direct access to domestic and international flights, how does TTNQ leverage this advantage to optimise business travel for events in the region? Our job is to make it look easy to do business here, and by being accessible through our gateways is the best way. So, we see our role as really trying to demystify how to get to Cairns that we are incredibly accessible from all of the major gateways within Australia. And then, of course, the access we have with Singapore Airlines via Singapore, it really does open us up to the world. So that’s been an amazing piece for us, and we see our role as just really trying to demystify how to get to us easily. And an award-winning airport, is that right? It is indeed! It has taken out many Australian awards and some on the global level and they’re investing a great deal. They are currently working on the international terminal, with a number of improvements coming through. So, we see a lot of growth potential for the Cairns Airport, particularly via the International Terminal. We just talked about accommodation being fairly close to the convention centre. You have the likes of the Shangri La and the Crystalbrook Collection – properties that have a sustainability focus too. How do you work with these establishments to ensure that their eco-friendly goals align with what you’re trying to do as a DMO? Sustainability is an interesting piece. I believe that we’ve shifted from it being nice to have to an absolute expectation. And we’re very fortunate that our accommodation sector has led the way in that space. Groups like the Crystalbrook Collection, they had sustainability at the core of their business model from day dot. And so it is through many layers within their hotel delivery. Our job, again, is as storytellers. We need to bring what they’re doing to life. We need to make sure that people are aware of that, so that they can see by choosing accommodation that are really doing a lot of work in the sustainability space. Similarly, with Shangri La, the Accor Hotel Group, we are so fortunate with the way the accommodation sector is stepping up and doing the hard yards to make sure that sustainability is ingrained in their day-to-day operation. So we see our role as being there to share their story and make sure that it is visible. Because I think sustainability is also a very sensitive area. People don’t want to be accused of greenwashing, and so they can be a little bit hesitant to lean in and talk to what they’re doing in that space. So, we try and work with them to say, well, you know, it’s better to share what you are doing than to be, you know, a little bit hesitant because of how things can be perceived. So, it’s, I think it’s very much an evolution. We’re always on the pathway too, but it’s a really exciting space, and I’m just so proud to be part of an industry that is leading the way in sustainable delivery. Are there any other hotels in the pipeline at all? At this stage, that’s a great question. There are some development approvals in the pipeline, one in Cairns, one in Port Douglas, but it’s early days, so we’ll look forward to when that looks more final, and we can come to market with that. As you mentioned there, Port Douglas and the likes of Palm Cove, I mean, they have their own unique offerings as well, don’t they. Looking at restaurant options, Nunu’s in Palm Cove, along with Hemingway’s brewery and the Salt House in Cairns, they’re all noted for culinary delights that showcase the region’s flavours. Do you collaborate with these establishments to ensure business travellers get the full experience of Tropical North Queensland?   We absolutely recognise that the needs for business events are quite different to leisure travellers, and so we approach that with businesses like Nunu, like Salt House, like Ochre in our in our catering side, is to step beyond the day-to-day business transaction and again, work on their story. Work on how they can really bring a face to their business as well. We don’t like it to be faceless, so I think it’s the personalities at a lot of these establishments that really bring it to life, and whether that is the owner of Nunu cooking at the table, presenting the dishes and talking about his growers and the various places he sources things from, his inspiration for different dishes, or you might be at Hemingway’s brewery and have the brewer talking about the stories and where they’re getting their ingredients from to make their beers. So, we try and provide a much deeper experience behind the dining scene, which is fabulous. Absolutely. We pride ourselves that we have a much deeper story to tell, and particularly with the food bowl around our area, we can, we’re able to access up to 70% of what we need on menus locally, and that’s reducing our food miles. And again, adds to our sustainability story and provides incredible dishes that really lean into our tropical climate, Are there any specific initiatives or partnerships that you’re involved with as TTNQ to help contribute towards the region’s delicate ecosystem? We recognise we have to walk the talk in this space. So, we as an organisation have been looking at ways to reduce our footprint, we have partnered with a programme with Reforest and they identify different areas where tree planting can be undertaken in spaces that need, so for example, we’ve partnered with them on a project in the Mabi forest. This is a forest that has been declining over time, so our planting forms part of a growth, a growth path for the rainforest so it’s a growing forest. So, with Reforest, any events that we’ve undertaken, we have offset the carbon emissions by committing to the tree planting when we have Famil visits or Educationals like your own. So, we’re seeing corporate groups jumping on board, partnering with Reforest and working on additional projects. So, we have this fantastic alliance with them where we’re able to demonstrate exactly what that can look like. First, of course, we recommend everyone reduce, reuse where they can, as far as the waste model goes. But if you know by the end, there is often a need to offset, particularly with travel. So, let’s do it, and let’s do it well with some locally funded projects that we know we can bring to life, as well as be part of the story. How important is it to embrace indigenous cultures in various aspects of business events – creating experiences like we discovered at Mossman Gorge? It’s our highest priority. There is nothing like having a region brought to life by the traditional custodians, and that’s why travellers for events throughout Australia will always begin with a welcome to country, and it’s to the specific country you’re on. So that’s the first part of it, but being able to expand into visits like Mossman Gorge Centre, where you can participate in an indigenous guided walk on country, learning about the culture, learning about the rainforest around you, and what the indigenous have known of that for 1000s of years. I mean, again, that experience is going to inspire and get people thinking and really appreciating the world we’re in. We’re very fortunate in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region, we are home to two indigenous cultures, and being the Torres Strait Islanders and the Australian Aboriginals. We really try to elevate the many experiences that are available so that they become part of the programmes and people can, you know, walk away having connected not just with the place, but with the people as well. One of my experiences, obviously, was going to the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Magic. How do you work with a company like Reef Magic to promote sustainable practices for business events, while obviously contributing to crucial conservation projects at the same time? We are particularly fortunate in our region that our experiences are centred on nature, and by virtue, they are going to be applying sustainability practices, for example, on the Great Barrier Reef, for businesses to be able to secure longer term permits by the authority, they have to be advanced eco-certified. So that already raises the bar and means that the majority of our reef operators are advanced eco-certified, so they are adhering to the very highest standards. It almost makes our job easy, really. So, we have the bench set very, very high. How do we incorporate that? It’s again, storytelling and making sure that it is visible, that people can appreciate that the platform they’re going out to the bigger boat that is using fuel on the way out. Well, then there are so many other aspects to the business that are highly sustainable, that balances the impact of the visit, and we firmly believe that every visitor can make, or does make, a positive impact, one through the environmental management charge that everyone on the reef has to pay, but by visiting you increase your own conservation values. And I would hope go back as someone who has a deeper desire to make the right impacts in their own life, and by that, we’re improving our overall performance as humans. So for us, that the way our industry is set up based on nature and the competitive nature of the industry and discerning guests means sustainability is at the heart of business operations, and our job is to elevate that and make it part of their story. I can see a shift in terms of the paradigm, rather than take events to traditional destinations, there’s a shift in terms of hosting events in natural settings. So, how do you capitalise on Cairns’ natural beauty to attract business events, something a little bit alternative to what is traditionally out there? The new elements of the Cairns Convention Centre already lend themselves to leaning into nature with so much glass, looking out over the water, mountains, really inspiring views. There is that connection happening. But what we have been seeing is a lot of programmes starting to, I guess, change up how they would deliver that. So, sometimes conferencing might take place on a boat on the way to the reef. So, the time spent on travel can actually be spent getting down to business. So, by the time you get there, you can start, you know, putting into place some of the ideas you’ve been thinking about. So, we do try to get people thinking about how they can utilise the outdoors while still meeting the business aspirations of the program. There’s things that have to be done and signed off and different strategic programmes that are undertaken by the group, but by taking it off site, sometimes you can get some really great outcomes, and that’s what we do. Try to suggest and get thinking, not taking away from the excellent facilities we do have in Cairns. But there is a way to mix it up, and we are seeing some programmes now that might have a half day conferencing and then a half day of experiencing, just to really solidify some of the learnings And some really great team building experiences on offer too? Absolutely! Experiences shared stays with you for a really long time, and if we can put meaning behind that, well, yeah, that’s going to keep resonating. And we do like to think that our natural assets and the experiences available can really make that a lived experience. You have quite a diverse range of landscapes on offer, such as the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the Tablelands too. What do these add in terms of value to for business events?  Business travellers are spilt for choice! It must be tough to put a programme together to include as much as possible. It really is hard. I mean, when most programmes are three to five days and we just have such a diverse range of experiences, you do have to lean in on those that are best suited to the group mix. And Skyrail is a fantastic example. They’re looking at World Heritage listed rainforest, but at the same time, they’re also experiencing Indigenous storytelling woven into that, as well as sustainability and how that can be applied in construction and working in a World Heritage Listed area. So, I think for us, we’re very fortunate to have so many experiences, very accessible. Skyrail is 15 minutes from Cairns. I mean, that’s an amazing breakout activity. And I think, as I spoke to in the last question, being sustainable, all of our experiences are based on nature one way or another, and so sustainability naturally fits within that. But I think we need to always move away from thinking that sustainability is about the environment. We have to also remember it’s about economic, culture and community sustainability. So, dispersal into regions like the Atherton Tablelands and getting out into other areas is still a really big part of our sustainability, because we need to make sure that delegates and the dollars that they are spending are going to be benefiting the wider region. And that’s where it’s really important for us to make sure that we’re featuring a broad range of the area where we can. Skybury was another incredible experience, where they found that papaya the perfect match to coffee. Apparently, they found that coffee trees grew faster and yielded more fruit when planted next to a papaya tree, because they have similar nutrient requirements. Amazing! Absolutely delicious! What I’m saying is, there are so there are so many just unique offerings available that you have to recommend that business travellers take an extra 2 -3 days to experience Tropical North Queensland. It is a Bleisure destination. We’re made for Bleisure. I have to say it’s a place where people will often bring their partners and stay on, because it’s a once in a lifetime experience to be able to come to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, and there is so much more to do. We all know what it’s like with business travel, to leave a region and feel like you barely scratched the surface. So Bleisure is wonderful for alleviating that. How does the rest of the year look for business events? Is the pipeline strong? With the Cairns Convention Centre attracting a lot of attention, the pipeline is looking incredibly healthy. We know we still need to keep boosting that as we go, otherwise we’d be out of a job. But we are very optimistic about the outlook in the short and medium term, and certainly, if we can improve our aviation access, we see great things on the horizon. Finally, what was formerly known as Dreamtime, which is now Australia Next, which you are hosting at the end of the year. What is that going to do for the region? Anything on the programme you can share with us in the meantime? Absolutely no sharing. We are all about surprise and delight. But what I can say is nature will be a really big part of the programme, and we, as I said at the start of the interview, we know someone needs to see and experience our destination to truly understand what it has to offer, and for us to be able to bring incentive buyers from all over the world to see what we have. It’s incredibly exciting, and we see that as a wonderful opportunity to bring to life the way that we are addressing sustainability with our natural attractions, and then using Cairns as that hub that is so very accessible, both on the ground and coming too. So yeah, it’s very exciting to have Australia Next coming to Cairns. Thank you, I appreciate your time in giving us an update and overall view of Tropical North Queensland. I can definitely resonate with everything you said, an amazing place. Thank you so much. Iain, we love telling our story, so I appreciate the opportunity.