12 November 07
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NEWS - EVENTS - TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES - TTNQ APPLAUDS ACHEIVEMENTS - ON THE MOVE - SEEN IN THE MEDIA - GOOD NEWS STORIES |
TTNQ’s INDUSTRY INFO
Welcome to the first edition of TTNQ’s INDUSTRY INFO.
TTNQ has decided to bring you this new monthly e-newsletter Industry Info dedicated to news from the industry that so many of you ask us to share with our members and stakeholders.
You are welcome to submit stories and photos or let us know about your upcoming events and activities. Please send material to helen.laird@tnq.org.au
TTNQ’s Industry Info will also be posted on our website www.tropicalaustralia.com.au/corporate
NEWS
QUEENSLAND TOURISM AWARDS
TTNQ congratulates all our winners in the 2007 Queensland Tourism Awards:
- Daintree Discovery Centre (Steve Irwin Ecotourism Award);
- the Quicksilver Group (Major Tour or Transport Operators Award);
- Passions of Paradise (Adventure Tourism Award);
- Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort (Tourist and Caravan Parks Award); and;
- Gab Titui Cultural Centre (Indigenous Tourism Award)
- James Cook University (Tourism Education & Training)
We were also honoured to receive an award jointly with Townsville Enterprise for the Great Tropical Drive (New Tourism Development Award).
TOURISM IN FOCUS FOR ELECTORAL CANDIDATES
The Future of Tourism in Tropical Australia Forum
6:00 – 9:00pm 15 November Trinity Room, Rydges Tradewinds
TTNQ members are invited to attend this forum where they will have the opportunity to hear Leichhardt candidates’ views on tourism in Tropical North Queensland as they provide prepared answers to set questions as well as taking questions from the floor. Click here for more information and RSVP.
REEF MAGIC II
Minister for Tourism Desley Boyle officially launched the new $5M Reef Magic II on Friday 2 November. The new vessel takes passengers to the Marine World pontoon on the Outer Reef in 90 minutes and features the latest navigation and control systems. With passenger numbers capped at 190 and seating for 300, comfort is assured, while the state of the art AV system, wheelchair access and shower facilities add that extra touch.
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SUN PRINCESS COMES TO COOKTOWN
Cooktown will welcome its largest cruise ship on 13 April 2008 when the 77,000-ton superliner Sun Princess includes the stop in its itinerary. There are an additional five calls scheduled during the following 18 months with each call delivering almost 2000 visitrs to the region, equating to a total economic impact of around $5M.
SEASTAR ON SHOW
The sea and the stars do strange things to some, so the the Visitor Information Centre Staff and volunteers discovered when they recently took a sneak peak at the new Seastar vessel.
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CALYPSO CONTINUES
Port Douglas based reef operator Calypso has sold one of its vessels, Eclipse, and will continue to operate using their identical vessel Calypso, which is only four months old. They are also building a new Eclipse and hope to have it ready for operation by April or May 2008.
ECOGUIDE ACCREDITATION AUSTRALIA PROGRAM
The 2007 New Generation EcoGuide Program provides guises with the opportunity to attain both EcoGuide and the national Guides of Australia (GOA) accreditation in one application. For imformation on Guides of Australia national accreditation visit www.goa.org.au/guidesofaustralia
CHILD SAFETY HANDBOOK SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Queensland Policy Legacy Scheme is conducting a Child Safety campaign in 2008 for all Grade 7 children in both State & Private Schools, who will receive a Child Safety Handbook. They are seeking sponsorship from local businesses to make the campaign possible. Sponsors will receive a handbook, certificate of appreciation and fully tax deductible invoice. For more information please contact Ann Thompson: Ph 3852 6074 Email annt@walshmedia.com.au
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EVENTS
SEMINAR - ACCIDENTS WHILE HAVING FUN The Legal View
8:00– 9:15am Thursday 15 November 2007 MacDonnells Law cnr Shield & Grafton Streets
TTNQ and MacDonnells Law present this informative seminar exclusively to TTNQ members. Click here for more information & RSVP details.
WHITE RIBBON DAY
November 25, 2007
On White Ribbon Day people are urged to buy a white ribbon to show their support for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. White ribbons can be purchased from The Body Shop, Network Video and Napolean Perdis outlets or donations can be made to White Ribbon Day at any Westpac Branch. www.whiteribbonday.org
AICD END OF YEAR BREAKFAST
7:30 – 9:00am Tuesday 27 November Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns
Click here for more information and RSVP details
5TH NATIONAL TRACKS & TRAILS CONFERENCE, 11 – 14 March 2008, Sunshine Coast
Passage to Progress: Developing a Collaborative Future
This is an opportunity to contribute to the development, maintenance, understanding and appreciation of tracks and trails. For more information visit: www.tracksandtrails.org.au or phone 07 3369 9455.
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TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
TAFE COURSES
Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE advises TTNQ members of the following training courses which could benefit.
TAFE FOOD SAFETY TRAINING TO HELP MEET NEW REQUIREMENTS
Food safety is about to become a hot issue. Cairns City Council has advised that all local licensable food businesses will need to have a qualified Food Safety Supervisor by 22 February 2008 to comply with new Food Act 2006 requirements. The good news is Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE has the training courses to help food businesses meet their obligations. TAFE’s Follow Workplace Hygiene Procedures and Implement Food Safety Procedures short courses deliver the training Food Safety Supervisors need to do the job. Both courses will be run in the food hygiene lab at the Cairns TAFE Campus, Gatton St, Manunda. Course dates and costs are:
Follow Workplace Hygiene Procedures (Six hour course, $100)
- Friday 16 November 9am-4pm;
- Tuesday 9 January 9am-4pm;
- Tuesday 25 March 9am-4pm;
Implement Food Safety Procedures (16 hour course, $250)
- Thursday 10 and Friday 11 January
For more information on these courses or to enrol, contact TNQIT on 1300 656 959.
NEW TAFE COURSE A SURE BET FOR RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
A new TAFE short course will assist employees of Tropical North Queensland gaming venues to provide responsible gambling services, understand Queensland legislative requirements, implement gambling codes of practice and provide information and assistance to customers.
Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE (TNQIT) is offering the Provide Responsible Gambling Services course for the first time in Cairns on 12 November at the Cairns TAFE Campus, Gatton Street Manunda. Cost is $99.
- Monday 12 November 2007, 5.00pm – 10.00pm
- Monday 3 December 2007, 9.30am – 3.00pm
For more information or to enrol, phone Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE on 1300 656 959.
SERIOUS ABOUT OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE?
Aussie Host Workshop
Wednesday 5 December 2007
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TNQ TAFE, Gatton St Cairns
Australia’s premier customer service training program is back thanks to an innovative partnership between TAFE, TTNQ and QTIC. AussieHost is a nationally-recognised training program designed to upgrade the standards of customer service and hospitality in any industry or business setting offering a course which covers the essential skills and techniques around personal customer service.
A dedicated upcoming one day workshop has been set aside exclusively for TTNQ members in the traditionally quieter early December period to allow staff to be released for training.
Cost: $195 for a full day [GST inclusive]
Includes: Group facilitator and all equipment, Morning, afternoon tea and lunch
Participant receives fully detailed training manual, lapel pin and Aussie Host certificate.
TO ENROL; contact TAFE on 1300 656 959
For more information or company group workshops, contact TAFE on 1300 656 959 or email senga.greenwood@deta.qld.gov.au
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TTNQ APPLAUDS ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to:
- Willie Gordon of Guurrbi Tours who won the 2007 Gnunkai Award for the Indigenous Tour Guide category.
- Jetstar on being named Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Low Cost Airline of the Year in the Asia Pacific region, for the second time.
- Tamarind Restaurant at the Sofitel Reef Casino on winning the Queensland Hotels Association Awards for Excellence in the Best Prestige Restaurant category.
- Voyages Bedarra Island on winning the award for Leading Boutique Resort in both Australia and Australasia at the 2007 World Travel Awards.
- Conservation Volunteers Australia on receiving and inaugural Golden Backpack Award for Responsible Travel.
- The North Queensland Wildlife Trust, founded by the Freeman family who own and operate Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, Cairns Tropical Zoo and Kuranda Koala Gardens, on $25,000 worth of donations and grants to local recipients, including rainforest restoration in the Daintree, Peterson Creek Restoration, an interpretive centre for the Toga Bat Hospital and a crocodile research project.
- TTNQ member, Tony Gordon Whitelight Film & Video on winning a 2007 Queensland Multi Media Award for Best International Media Advertisement for the TTNQ 2007 Japan Mission.
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ON THE MOVE
• Andrew Kennedy has been appointed Business Manager of Kuranda Scenic Rail
• Holy Spirit Care Services has announced the appointment of Vicky Johnston to the position of General Manager of Holy Spirit Care Service’s Cairns Region.
• Colin McIntosh is the new General Manager of the Grand Mercure Rockford Esplanade Apartments at Palm Cove.
• Scott Lynch is the new General Manager of Rydges Plaza Cairns.
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SEEN IN THE MEDIA
• Orpheus Island was the topic of this Adelaide Advertiser feature article.
• Voyages Silky Oaks and Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa were highlighted in Life etc magazine.
• The Courier Mail featured Cape Tribulation in a recent article.
• Don and Judy Freeman and Tjapukai are honoured as the founders of indigenous tourism in Australia in this Australian Geographic article.
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GOOD NEWS STORIES
A local resident thoroughly enjoyed joining a Tropic Wings tour to Undara:
Dear Mr Woodward & Ms Benham
I recently enjoyed one of your 3-day Undara trips and want to congratulate you on the astounding level of honestly and professionalism exhibited by two of your driver/guides I met last week.
Firstly, Terry, my driver for the to-Undara trip exhibited the broadest, fluent, knowledge-base I have ever encountered anywhere in this country and elsewhere. Terry stunned me with his amazing grasp of biology, zoology, geology and local history long before we had so much as passed Gordonvale! Remarkably, all these areas of his commentary continued with gusto; and from that point on he also appeared to speak as a proficient primary-producer, meteorologist, military-historian and rural-scientist/economist.
Barry took us on the from-Undara journey and everything I have said about Terry is equally applicable to Barry.
I compliment Tropic Wings on this astounding level of professionalism. Please pass on my personal admiration and gratitude to both Terry and Barry.
Best Wishes
Gary Johnston
(Tropic Wings fan)