Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef affirms position as an incentive haven


By El Kwang on 24/01/2018


The Tropical North Queensland of Australia is set to welcome incentive groups like the 8000-delegate strong Amway China Leadership slated for April 2019 with new offerings and possibilities.

Rosie Douglas, Director of Business & Tourism Events, Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, said that the Amway event will travel in waves of  1000 people for five days and four nights and will inject AU$50 million into the economy.  It will be the largest incentive group the region has ever hosted. 

New Developments

Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina is at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and is Queensland’s northernmost marina. Previously known as The Reef Marina prior to the acquisition by Crystalbrook Collection, the company is set to inject a further AU$100 million into the marina to make Port Douglas a world-renowned superyacht marina, a luxury waterfront 100-room boutique hotel, 50 premium residences and enhanced retail and dining areas.   

This will be the fourth development in Queensland for Crystalbrook Collection, who already has three hotels in Cairns under construction with an investment of more than $370 million. Riley, the first of The Crystalbrook Collection hotels in Cairns will open in August 2018. The five-star resort with 311 suites and rooms on the Cairns Esplanade has a lagoon pool with a private beach.

A Successful Resort Buy-Out Story

This region is not just about capturing large incentive travel groups. A recent exclusive 5-night experience at the 294-room Sheraton Grand Mirage at Port Douglas organised by ID Events for 350 adults and 70 children has won delegates’ hearts.

The client was an international corporate technology company that rewards their high achievers with an international family-friendly biannual incentive program previously hosted in Barcelona and Hawaii.

In addition to the resort “buy-out” and a welcome reception at the resort’s Lagoon Pool area, ID Events created memorable showcases of the destination.  Delegates had exclusive access to the Great Barrier Reef Quicksilver Cruises’ private catamaran, an Aboriginal culture educational private Mossman Gorge Dreamtime walk and Australian wildlife encounters at the Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure.

The success of this incentive travel experience was underscored by ID Events and their suppliers’ ability to cater to the delegates’ children. While these extravagant events were taking place the 70 children were entertained at the Diamond Kids Club.

“They enjoyed a Tjapukai Indigenous evening with a didgeridoo performance, Dreamtime stories and an interactive dance performance followed by Cultural Creation activity stations including traditional weaving, boomerang painting and traditional jewellery making. A Quicksilver marine biologist hosted a ‘Finding Dory’ evening with an educational talk and the movie screening on the second night. On the third evening Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures introduced the children to Australian animals with koalas, a baby crocodile, cockatoo and cane toad racing ” said Douglas.



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