18 December 07

NEWS - EVENTS - TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES - TTNQ APPLAUDS ACHEIVEMENTS - ON THE MOVE - SEEN IN THE MEDIA - GOOD NEWS STORIES

Congratulations to Quicksilver on another very successful Christmas Charity Drive.

NEWS

STUDY CAIRNS EXECUTIVE FOR 2008
The Study Cairns AGM was held at the QLD College of English. At the meeting the 2008 executive was established and Study Cairns president, Janine Bowmaker presented a summary report on 2007; a year which has seen the network double its membership. Thanks to GEOS for hosting the meeting and the social get together that followed as well as champagne and nibblies. The new executive for 2008 is President, Janine Bowmaker (MD of Banora International Group), Vice President, Susan Rees (MD of Aussie Interact),  Treasurer, Erna Zell (Trainer, TNQ TAFE), Secretary, Ralf Furse (Director International Education, TAS), Sue Jones (DOS, JCU-ELC), Christine Sharkey (Intl Student Support, JCU), Scott Bowman (Pro Vice Chancellor, JCU).

CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SWEET ENOUGH
Coffee plantation Skybury and the country’s first cocoa plantation, Cocoa Farm, have combined forces to create a new Aussie taste sensation combining freshly ground coffee beans, roasted hazelnuts and creamy milk chocolate with no added sugar. Part of the Cocoa Farm’s No Added Sugar range, the new chocolate is sold at The Australian Coffee Centre at Mareeba and is available through specialty food retailers.

NEW WATERFRONT WATERING HOLES
Rydges Tradewinds Cairns has opened its new E Bar featuring Esplanade views, Friday night jazz & blues and an open air Wok Station. The E Bar is open Mon - Thurs from 5pm, Friday from 4pm and weekends from 12 noon. Meanwhile Bá8 (pronounced Bar Eight) at The Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns offers patrons marina views, an extensive list of Australian and New Zealand wines, boutique beers and tapas menu. Bá8 is open daily from 11:00am – midnight.

DON'T BE SILLY THIS SILLY SEASON
With the festive season just around the corner, most businesses will be holding celebratory end of year functions. Following his seminar to TTNQ members on Accidents While Having Fun, MacDonnells Law Senior Associate Julian Brown has drafted a Legal Update advising businesses about their obligations to employees at such work functions, particularly relating to the consumption of alcohol. Please follow this link to view the article on the MacDonnells Law website:
http://www.macdonnells.com.au/NewsletterPreview.aspx?NewsletterId=104842

IS YOUR BUSINESS PREPARED FOR A DISASTER?
As Tropical Cyclone Larry showed, disasters can be costly to business both in the short and longer term. Being prepared is not necessarily expensive and can help minimise impacts on your business during and after a disaster. The Department of Communities has identified a range of resources to assist business owners take control of their disaster preparedness:

• Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry produces a preparedness workbook Preparing a Natural Disaster Resilience Kit for your business. Visit www.smartsmallbusiness.qld.gov.au or contact Cairns State Development Centre on 4048 1111
• Department of Treasury provides a practical guide to risk management. Visit www.riskmanagement.qld.gov.au
• The federal Attorney-General’s Department has developed the Good Security-Good Buiness booklet available from www.tisn.gov.au or call 1300 656 863.
• The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has published the Protecting your business, crops and livestock from cyclone disasters checklist aimed particularly at farm and rural businesses. Visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xbcr/dpi/CycloneChecklistUpdate.pdf or phone 13 25 23

MORE ROOMS IN TNQ
AAA Tourism advises that Tropical North Queensland now has 12,163 rooms listed under their national star rating system.

PALM ROYALE REFURB COMPLETED
Palm Royale Cairns has announced the completion of a major refurbishment to the 150 room boutique resort valued at $500,000 which took just over three months to complete and incorporated upgrades to all guest rooms and public areas spanning guest lounge, poolside, café and function room.

GRAND FINALE FOR HILTON BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
After offering guests at the hotel between July and December the opportunity to win one of 20 half-carat diamonds the Hilton Cairns will complete its unique 20th Anniversary celebrations this week with a prize draw for a one carat diamond valuled at $11,000 to be won by one lucky guest.

BEDS & BLOCKBUSTERS COMBO
Rydges Hotels and Birch Carroll and Coyle cinemas have introduced their Any Movie Any Time deal which offers packages through the three Rydges resorts in Cairns and Rydges Sabaya Port Douglas with the three BCC cinemas in Cairns.

CAIRNS INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT REFRESH
Cairns International Hotel’s signature restaurant Kingsford’s will close in early 2008 to make way for a private dining and function area. The popular café Rum & Raisin will also close and Café Coco will undergo refurbishment and some of Kingsford’s favourite fine dining dishes will be incorporated into the new Café Coco menu.

FURNITURE AUCTION
Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, 122 Lake Street, Cairns, Phone 4080 1888
Items for sale:
• Beds (single, double & king)
• Bedside tables and bed boards
• Wardrobes
• ‘Mini’ in-room safes
• TVs
• Desks
Please contact Chief Engineer Angelo Serafin for inspections or more information on 0409 631 014

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EVENTS

KOREA TRAVEL MISSION (KTM)
A biennial event in market and the ideal platform to present Australian products and services to key Korean travel trade and media, KTM 2008 will be held in Seoul from 27 to 29 February 2008. To apply, click here.

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TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

AUSSIEHOST TRAINING AT THE TEMPLE
Twenty staff from the Sea Temple Resort and Spa Port Douglas and Mantra Treetops Resort and Spa recently completed the one day AussieHost course through TAFE, which is designed to promote service excellence and visitor satisfaction.

Sea Temple Port Douglas General Manager Nicola Constantanidis said the course provided an excellent opportunity to up-skill staff members and develop fundamental customer service strategies.

“The training was held at the Sea Temple Resort & Spa and staff came out of the course very enthusiastic and motivated and looking to put their newfound confidence and skills to practice,” said Ms Constantanidis. “It was much more convenient and accessible that the AussieHost facilitators delivered the course on-site,”

For further information and AussieHost dates contact TAFE on 1300 656 959 or email senga.greenwood@deta.qld.gov.au

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TTNQ APPLAUDS ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to:

• Pip Miller who received the 2007 ATEC Award for Most Outstanding Contribution by an Individual. Pip Miller has been involved in the tourism industry in Cairns for more than 15 years and was NQ ATEC Branch Manager, 1994-2007 until she stepped down in March this year. Her company Pip Miller PR has a number of tourism clients including Hilton Cairns. Pip’s company is also involved in co-ordination of the annual “Festival Cairns”. New Branch Manager Cheryl Kelly said Pip worked tirelessly 1994 - 2007 as Branch Manager of NQ ATEC. “The NQ Branch is often seen as the jewel in the crown for ATEC and the focus that Pip placed on her position and her ability to work at all levels of the industry has seen the Branch prosper and gain respect from other branches. The success of NQ Branch would not have been possible without the dedication of Pip Miller,” Cheryl said.
• The Woolshed on being awarded Best Bar in Queensland and Gilligan’s Backpackers Hotel & Resort at the Golden Backpack Awards in Sydney recently.
• Peta and Jon Nott of Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat who received a Wet Tropics Management Authority Neighbour Category Cassowary Award for the rehabilitation work they have carried out on their property removing intrusive plants and replanting over 20,000 native trees.
• The Spa at Cairns International on winning a a LI’TYA Excellence Award for Best LI’TYA Spa Facility.
• Whitelight Film & Video who achieved an award for Best International Media Advertisement for the TTNQ Japan Mission DVD in the 2007 Queensland Multi Media Awards.
• CaPTA trainees Jodie Fountain of Rainforestation and Eileen Scott of Rainforest Habitat who won awards at the National Institute of Training graduation ceremony.
• Rebecca Bond of Mini Car Rentals who received the Cairns Tourism Association’s Kamsler Award and to Bronwen Gratton of Pro Dive’s Local Tourist Information who received a Special Mention.
• Cairns City Council’s Cairns Holiday Park which won a Turnaround Award at the Caravan Parks Association of Queensland’s Annual Conference.
• Congratulations to All the winners in the Regional Clean Beach Awards:
  - Community Action Award – Cow Bay
  - Environmental Protection Award – Green Island
  - Do the Right Thing Litter Prevention Award sponsored by Packaging Stewardship Forum  – Palm Cove
  - Three Plus Partnerships Award – Karumba Point Beach 
  - Resource Recovery Award – Karumba Point Beach
  - Outstanding Accomplishment Award – Cardwell Beach
  - Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Young Legends – South Mission Beach
  - Tourism Queensland’s Friendliest Beach – Green Island
  and to those who went on to win State Clean Beach Awards, namely Green Island named Queensland’s Friendliest Beach and Karumba Point Beach which won the Resource Recovery Award.

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ON THE MOVE

• Skye Collie is the new sales executive for Parker Travel Collection responsible for retail agent training in the UK and Australia, on-line support and Tourism Business Development.

• Grahame Seymour is the new General Manager at the Mercure Harbourside.

• Voyages Silky Oaks Lodge has appointed Stuart Kentish as their new General Manager.

• Suzie Dowell has left Quicksilver to take a break.

• Rebecca Ball of Skyrail is moving to Perth.

• Peta Barmes Sarlos is the new executive assistant manager at Rydges Sabaya Port Douglas. 

• Cindy Toet is leaving Great Barrier Reef Helicopter Group to further her career in the area of hospitality.

• Jeff Lane is the new Golf Course Superintendent at Paradise Palms Country Club.

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SEEN IN THE MEDIA

• Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours made News.com.au’s Top 10 List of ultimate thrillseeking experiences
• One of the delights along the Great Tropical Drive, Port Douglas, was the topic of this Style Travel article.
• The Kuranda Visitor Information Centre volunteers proudly showed off their new uniforms for the Tablelands Advertiser recently
• Quincan rock art and Captain Cook Cruises were the topic of this article in The Senior.

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GOOD NEWS STORIES

A local resident was proud to show their visitors the best of Tropical North Queensland with a trip to the reef while a local couple were thrilled with the experience they and their guest enjoyed at their choice of function venue.

Hi Dan,
 
I just wanted to thank you and congratulate Reef Magic Cruises for an outstanding day on the reef yesterday! Its always great when family visit so we can show them the best sites of Cairns, and again as we are so often told by our guests, Reef Magic is always at the top of everyone's list as their 'highlight' of Cairns.  As weather permitted it was fantastic to experience the 'Adventure Snorkel Tour' and I have to mention Eric (Marine Biologist) who was outstanding with knowledge and his professional approach to ensuring everyone experienced the 'magic' of Marine World.  Great team & a great product!
 
Congratulations to all!! 
 
Karen Cappellazzo
Resident Manager
Argosy on The Beach
Clifton Beach

Hi Dean
 
A huge thank you to you, John and the staff at Whitfield House. We can't even put into words how fantastic it was. Karl and I appreciate all the help and assistance you provided. We had nothing but rave reviews from everyone who attended, and will recommend Whitfield House to anyone who wants (or even doesn't want) our opinion.
 
We could not have asked for a better night. One which we will definitely always remember.
 
Best wishes and take care
Penny and Karl

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