Exploring Tropical North Queensland: A Premier Destination for Sustainable Business Events and Cultural Integration

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 for business events? As the region’s DMO, we see ourselves as storytellers. We connect with media and buyers to share the region’s story, led by our natural assets. We work collaboratively with our industry to understand their unique offerings, allowing us to represent the destination with authority. One new addition to your offering is the newly rebuilt and refurbished Cairns Convention Centre. How does the centre and its strategic location contribute to the region’s economic development? The expansion of the convention centre is crucial for advancing our business events. It embraces the outdoors, uses natural light, and connects delegates with the setting. Its latest build elevates our technical capabilities, making us a world-class facility amidst world-class natural assets. Cairns is a walkable city, and most major hotels are within walking distance of the convention centre, enhancing the personalised experience for delegates.   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 universities based in Cairns, and so we’re really leaning into the capabilities of those universities, with some leading professionals 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 that 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 and corporate events being held in the region can leave for our area as well as their industry. The Cairns Aquarium and its marine conservation efforts are impressive. How can you include this as an offering for business events? Facilities like the aquarium and the Coral Reef Biobank are invaluable. They demystify sustainability and the role humans play in preserving diversity. We integrate these into event programs, making them thought-provoking and inspiring. The turtle rehabilitation program is also notable. How does this fit into your offerings? Programs like the turtle rehabilitation are incorporated meaningfully into event programs, enhancing the destination’s story and emphasising sustainability, which is integral to our region. Cairns is a gateway to north-eastern Australia. How does TTNQ leverage Cairns Airport’s direct access to domestic and international flights to optimise business travel for events? Our job is to make it easy to do business here. We demystify travel to Cairns, highlighting accessibility from major gateways within Australia and internationally via Singapore Airlines. The award-winning Cairns Airport is continuously improving, particularly the international terminal. Accommodation is close to the convention centre, with sustainable options like Shangri La and Crystalbrook Collection. How do you ensure their eco-friendly goals align with TTNQ’s objectives? Sustainability has shifted from being ‘nice to have’ to an expectation. Our accommodation sector leads in this space, with sustainability ingrained in their operations. We help tell their stories and ensure people are aware of their efforts, avoiding greenwashing and promoting genuine sustainability practices. Are there any new hotels in the pipeline? There are development approvals in Cairns and Port Douglas, but it’s early days. We look forward to announcing more details soon. Port Douglas and Palm Cove offer unique experiences. Do you collaborate with local restaurants to ensure business travellers experience the region’s flavours? We work with establishments like Nunu’s, Salt House, and Hemingway’s Brewery to provide deeper experiences for business travellers. Personal connections and storytelling are essential, showcasing local produce and sustainability. Are there specific initiatives TTNQ is involved in to help the region’s ecosystem? We partner with Reforest to offset carbon emissions through tree planting projects, such as the Mabi forest. We encourage reducing and reusing, but also emphasise meaningful local offset projects. How important is it to embrace indigenous cultures in business events? It’s our highest priority. Indigenous culture brings the region to life. Experiences like Mossman Gorge offer guided walks and cultural insights, connecting people with the place and its history. We elevate indigenous experiences to be integral to event programs. How do you use the Great Barrier Reef and work with companies like Reef Magic to promote sustainable practices for business events and conservation projects? We are particularly fortunate in our region that all of our experiences are centred on nature, which naturally leads to the implementation of sustainable practices. For example, on the Great Barrier Reef, businesses must achieve advanced eco-certification to secure long-term permits from the authorities. This requirement sets a high standard, ensuring that the majority of our reef operators adhere to the highest eco-friendly standards. This makes our job significantly easier as the benchmark for sustainability is already very high. To incorporate this into our operations, we focus on storytelling and visibility, ensuring that people understand and appreciate the sustainable practices in place. While the larger boats may use fuel, many other aspects of the business are highly sustainable, balancing the impact of each visit. We believe that every visitor makes a positive impact through the environmental management charge they pay and by fostering a deeper personal commitment to conservation. Ultimately, the nature-based and competitive structure of our industry ensures that sustainability is at the heart of all operations. Our role is to elevate these practices and integrate them into our narrative, helping to improve our overall performance as stewards of the environment. How do you capitalise on Cairns’ natural beauty to attract business events? The Cairns Convention Centre’s design already integrates nature. We encourage innovative conferencing, such as holding sessions on boats en route to the reef. Mixing traditional conferencing with outdoor experiences enhances outcomes and team building. You offer a wide range of landscapes, such as the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the Tablelands. What value do these add to business events? With so many options, it must be challenging to create a comprehensive programme. It really is challenging. Most programmes last three to five days, and with such a diverse range of experiences, you have to focus on those that can encompass multiple aspects. Skyrail is a fantastic example. It offers views of a World Heritage-listed rainforest, Indigenous storytelling, and sustainability practices, making it a multifaceted experience that appeals to many. We’re fortunate to have so many accessible experiences. Skyrail is just 15 minutes from Cairns, providing a great opportunity to explore and integrate various elements. As I mentioned earlier, all our experiences are rooted in nature, so sustainability is naturally a part of them. However, we need to remember that sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it’s also about economic, cultural, and community sustainability. Dispersing visitors to regions like the Atherton Tablelands and other areas is crucial for our sustainability efforts. We need to ensure that the money spent by visitors and delegates benefits the wider region. Therefore, it’s essential for us to feature a broad range of areas in our programmes. 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 in 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 in the region? With the Cairns Convention Centre attracting attention, the pipeline looks strong. We aim to boost this further, with optimism for continued growth, especially with improved aviation access. Finally, what was formerly known as Dreamtime, now rebranded as Australia Next, is being hosted by you at the end of the year. How will this impact the region? Can you share any details about the program? Absolutely no spoilers. We are all about surprise and delight. However, I can tell you that nature will play a significant role in the program. As I mentioned at the beginning of the interview, experiencing our destination first-hand is crucial to understanding its offerings. Hosting incentive buyers from around the world is incredibly exciting for us. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase how we’re integrating sustainability with our natural attractions. Cairns, with its excellent accessibility both on the ground and from afar, will serve as the perfect hub. So yes, we are very excited to have Australia Next coming to Cairns. If you want to read the extended version of this interview click here