Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef is showcasing Tropical North Queensland as an international business events destination on the bureau’s first mission to New Zealand this week.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Partnerships and Events general manager Tara Bennett said there was growing interest in the destination for business events after hosting numerous trade famils in partnership with Tourism Australia in recent years.
“Port Douglas and Cairns have traditionally been popular as incentive destinations and for corporate groups from New Zealand and with year-round flight access from Christchurch and seasonal flights from Auckland we are in a strong position to reinvigorate this market,” she said.
“New Zealanders are increasingly choosing to visit Tropical North Queensland with numbers increasing by 45.6 per cent in the year ending March 2026 to 39,000, outstripping Queensland’s growth of 6.1 per cent.
“Our team will be joined by the Cairns Convention Centre, Business Events Port Douglas, Accor, Pullman Reef Hotel Casino and the Crystalbrook Collection.
“Together we will promote Tropical North Queensland as an easily accessible, experienced international business events destination with the advantage of a warm tropical climate and two World Heritage areas as a backdrop.
“Destination updates will be hosted in both Auckland and Christchurch to target business events planners and delegates will be flown into Christchurch from Wellington to ensure they do not miss out.
“In addition to showcasing our conference and meeting venues we will be discussing the diversity of offsite event locations such as The Magazine, a stunning new historic venue that was once used to store ammunition.
“Our diverse repurposed venues from a sugar wharf to World War II fuel tanks have struck a chord with event organisers who also like the ability to host outdoor events on the waterfront, in a cane field or under the rainforest canopy.
“We will also be highlighting our unique transformational experiences for incentive programs including coral restoration on the Great Barrier Reef and Tropical North Queensland wildlife encounters with saltwater crocodiles and kangaroos.
“Our group of seven will be travelling the same routes delegates will take, heading to Auckland with Air New Zealand and returning from Christchurch with Jetstar which ensure minimal travel time to and from Cairns.”
