14 January 2008

FROM THE CEO'S DESK

Welcome to the first edition of In Touch with TTNQ for 2008. I trust you have enjoyed a good break over the holiday period and wish you all a very Happy New Year. I look forward to working with you all as we continue to promote Tropical North Queensland as the world’s best tropical holiday destination.

As usual we have hit the ground running here at TTNQ this year. Things are off to a good start with positive aviation news from Japan and China. You can read all the details below, and I emphasise the importance of these developments, which bring the tails of three more international carriers into Cairns Airport during 2008 for seasonal charters, and carry with them potential for regular services in the future, and you can rest assured that TTNQ and Cairns Port Authority are vigorously exploring these opportunities.

TTNQ representatives are joining operators on missions to India, China and the United Kingdom this month, next month sees in market activity in Japan for both leisure and business tourism and there are plenty of campaigns and marketing activities planned for the domestic market too. Check www.tropicalaustralia.com.au/corporate for market updates which will be posted after these missions.

More good news for our industry on the distribution front - we have decided to make our successful booking platform Book Tropical Australia subscription-free for all our members. Current BTA subscribers will save $385 annually, while those wishing to sign up for the first time will have to meet a once-only installation and training fee of just $100. This is a major step forward in making BTA more accessible to our small and medium-sized members. There’s more on a major online marketing initiative with TotalTravel later in this edition of In Touch with TTNQ, and you can get more information from derek.tottle@tnq.org.au

TTNQ is also involved in the Network Review process, having completed a submission on this topic and we keenly await the Minister’s announcement on this subject later in the year. We are also working to address the various potential impacts and opportunities afforded by the upcoming Council amalgamations, to ensure that tourism continues to receive strong local government support as the region’s major industry and economic driver.

Rob Giason Chief Executive Officer

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THE LATEST NEWS

JAL CHARTERS TO BRING STUDENT INFLUX
TTNQ welcomes the announcement that Japan Airlines will operate a series of 12 charter flights from Fukuoka, Japan direct to Cairns for the month of November 2008 and annually thereafter.

TTNQ’s Japanese Business Development team worked closely with Tourism Queensland Tokyo to secure these important charters which will bring an influx of some 4,000 Japanese visitors to the region. Thanks go to Cairns Port Authority, the local tourism industry and Tourism Australia as well as inbound tour operator, JTB Kyushu and JTB Australia, for supporting this initiative, which is a fine example of working in partnership to achieve a great result.

The charters will largely be filled with Japanese High School groups who will enjoy two night farmstays around the Tablelands and Innisfail, bringing greater exposure to the Japanese market for these areas.

For the past ten years this student tourism business with Japan Airlines has gone to New Zealand and we are proud that Tropical North Queensland won it over competing destinations such as Melbourne and Singapore due to our iconic natural environment and the quality and diversity of farmstay options available we have on offer.

Rob Giason joined Minister Boyle and JTB representatives at the International Airport for the Media Announcement last week.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CHARTERS
TTNQ also welcomes the charters from China into Cairns secured in conjunction with the Cairns Port Authority and scheduled to operate during the Chinese New Year period in February 2008 from three airlines, Qantas, who continue their commitment to the region and China Southern and Viva Macau, both new airlines into Cairns.

The charters help us build a stronger presence in the Chinese market and develop our relationships with the travel trade in key cities. TTNQ hopes to conduct in-market activity in the near future with our members as well as participating in the Queensland on Tour China mission in March. On 26 January several TNQ operators will be part of a Cairns Consumer Day in a Shanghai shopping centre.

TNQ STRONG IN PUSH FOR INDIAN VISITORS
TTNQ’s Elizabeth Webb and 14 members make up around two thirds of the current Queensland on Tour India delegation who have travelled there to promote the region’s many attractions and their products to key travel agents in a bid to boost our visitor numbers from the sub-continent. The delegation will spend a week conducting workshops with frontline travel agency staff and product managers in Delhi and Mumbai, with some staying on for more marketing activities in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai in the second week. The mission will include the now annual “Q Cup” cricket match in Mumbai with Queensland tourism operators taking on Indian agents in a fun-filled challenge. TTNQ’s Elizabeth Webb will present a hot market update on Monday 18 February. Watch the next edition for more details.

PROMOTING TO YOUTH/ADVENTURE MARKET IN LONDON
The Daily Telegraph Adventure Travel Show is Europe's biggest adventure travel exhibition to be held in London 25 - 27 January 2008 and TTNQ’s Jana Stankovich and nine TNQ Youth/Adventure Operators will represent Cairns & Great Barrier Reef at the event. With an estimated attendance of 30,000 this is expected to be an excellent opportunity to showcase our destination. Tropical North Queensland along with Tourism Northern Territory will be the only Australian products on display at the show. 

THANKYOU TO WARREN ENTSCH
TTNQ took the opportunity during a visit from Warren Entsch last year to present him with a Mareeba Wetlands image to mark his retirement as Member for Leichhardt and thank him for his strong support for the Tropical North Queensland tourism industry over his many years in the role.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
TTNQ welcomes these new members:

At The Mango Tree Holiday Apartments www.mango-tree-port-douglas.com
On site management of holiday letting complex consisting of 19 fully self contained apartments. Situated at 91 Davidson Street Port Douglas, At the Mango Tree Holiday apartments is strata titled & holiday letting only. Apartments managed under management rights. 

Apollo Car Rentals www.apollocarrentals.com.au
Apollo Car Rentals provides a wide range of quality rental cars from compact to four wheel drives at very competitive prices in Cairns and across Australia. Local and one way rentals welcome.

Sea-s-ta Holiday House www.sea-s-ta.com.au
Sea-s-ta Holiday House is a sizzling holiday destination that offers one punchy surprise after another. Ideal for families and perfect for couples, this beachfront hacienda will leave you supplied with everything and wanting for nothing.

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IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS

CRCB DESTINATION MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT BRIEFINGS

For more information and RSVPs re either of the Briefings outlined below please contact angela.uhlig@tnq.org.au

CIM BRIEFING
10.00 - 11.00 am, Monday 21 January, TTNQ Boardroom
Convention & Incentive Marketing (CIM) & CRCB will host a morning tea and briefing session on the magazine’s destination feature for the March 2008 edition to enable members to meet with Account Manager Natalie Kevin and to answer any questions you may have regarding the publication. In addition, Mr Louis Allen, Editor for CIM, will be in region from 4 – 7 February to ensure he has the latest information on Tropical North Queensland’s business tourism products, statistics, case studies and pre/post touring options.

Mice.net BRIEFING
10.00 - 11.00 am, Monday 4 February, TTNQ Boardroom
Mice.net & CRCB will host a morning tea and briefing session on the magazine’s destination feature for the June 2008 edition to enable members to meet with mice.net’s Jenny Gill and to answer any questions you may have regarding the publication.  
 
DATE CLAIMER – INDIA HOT MARKET UPDATE 18 FEB 08
This session will provide the latest market intelligence gained during the Queensland on Tour India Mission and will be of interest for TTNQ members looking to promote their product to this market. The information will be posted on www.tropicalaustralia.com.au/corporate shortly after the session for members unable to attend.

TOURISM QUEENSLAND INTERNATIONAL MARKET WORKSHOPS
Thursday 21 February, Cairns International Hotel
Eastern Hemisphere from 8:30am
Western Hemisphere from 1:00pm
This year the TQ International Market Briefings will take a new format with smaller interactive discussion groups providing more targeted information and opportunities for questions to be answered. If you wish to attend please email marketbriefings@tq.com.au or fiona.mori@tq.com.au

DATE CLAIMER - TTNQ NETWORKING FUNCTION
Thursday 21 February 08
The first TTNQ Member’s Networking Function for 2008 will be held on the evening of Thursday 21 February to coincide with a visit by Tourism Queensland representatives here to provide market briefings to industry.

BEHIND THE SCENES

• Rob will participate in the QTIC Planning Forum this week, after leading the TTNQ team through a two day Planning session last week in preparation for 2008-09 and beyond.
• He is also working with John McIntyre to address the implications and opportunities provided by impending council amalgamations.
• David has just returned from Hong Kong where he continued negotiations with airlines and confirmed details for the Chinese New Year charters.
• Harry is just back from Japan, where he met with airlines and Tourism Queensland representatives to plan activities for this year.
•  He is working with TQ and Jetstar on a series of seminars in regional Japan during February with around six local operators to promote Jetstar services. He is also continuing on Team Cairns work and liaising with Continental Airlines re their seasonal increase of services into Cairns.
• Val is coordinating a program of famils for Visitor Information Centre volunteers to ensure they have up to date product knowledge as they promote the region. 
• Val and Jan are conducting Great Tropical Drive training for staff and volunteers in the region’s accredited Visitor Information Centres.
• Niaomi is conducting visits to members and planning the seminar schedule with MacDonnells, BDO Kendalls and the National Training Institute (formerly VTA).
• CRCB are busy preparing for AIME in February, followed by TABEE in Hong Kong Macau a month or so later. Karen Shaw is getting ready for a marketing trip to Japan during February. 
• Annie and Michelle are working on research with the NVS and IVS summaries now posted on www.tropicalaustralia.com.au/corporate and three regional summaries from the Destination Visitor Profile work now being prepared.
• Dion and Karen are working on several media opportunities for the region including working with location scouts for Mercurio’s Menu a previously Melbourne only soon to be national show featuring dancer & chef Paul Mercurio. A five day shoot is planned for the region late this month. There will be more food-related promotion coming up after a visit to the region by Bill Granger in March.
• Work is also underway with Virgin Blue Holidays on a promotional campaign for February – April this year in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. 
• The Change Your Latitude branding will be reinforced in Sydney with an airport window sticker campaign promoting the 60 services per week into Cairns. There will also be a Change Your Latitude campaign targeting domestic retail travel agents.
• Dion will be conducting Brand Seminars for Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Mission Beach based members in the coming weeks.
• Donna and Tamara are working on DerTour and Oz Talk New Zealand
  

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SEEN IN THE MEDIA

• 4WD Monthly continue their Tropical North Queensland adventures with this article that takes the reader on a journey from Mission Beach to Cooktown via the Chillagoe.
• The Cairns Post reported this weekend that The Sunday Telegraph’s survey of most visited locations ranked Cairns number one and Port Douglas number four.
• Convention & Incentive Marketing Magazine ran this story on the success of CRCB’s showcase event Sell TNQ which was held last November.
• Ellis Beach was included in a list of unspoilt traditional family beach holiday destinations compiled by John Wright in The Courier Mail over the Christmas break.
  

If you have a good news story or have achieved a recent success please send your information to Helen Laird.

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While every effort is made to ensure the information in this newsletter is accurate, Tourism Tropical North Queensland disclaims all responsibility and liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs incurred as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in anyway, and for any reason.