On Q Newsletter

Whitehaven Beach given Top Beach Honor

Tourism Whitsunday’s submission to top US news outlet, CNN, proved successful as Whitehaven was announced the World’s Best Eco-Friendly Beach.  Whitehaven Beach beat out exotic and remote locations in Costa Rica, Brazil and Hawaii for the top spot and the Tourism Whitsunday’s website was hit with some serious online traffic as a result.  Click here to see the full list.
 

Webjet Launches US Operation

Australia’s largest online travel agency, Webjet Marketing North America LLC, officially announced its long-rumored expansion to the US, opening an office in Tampa’s historic Hyde Park district.

Tourism Queensland Rewards Facebook Fans

Tourism Queensland is giving away AUD$500 Queensland Holiday vouchers to 5 lucky people.  Simply “Like” the Queensland Facebook page and let us know what your favorite Queensland vacation would be.

To find out more and to enter visit the Queensland Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Queensland and click on the “Win $500” tab.  Competition closes August 6 2010 (Brisbane time).

Islands of the Great Barrier Reef campaign Signature Travel Network

Tourism Queensland and the Signature Travel Network have launched an Islands of the Great Barrier Reef campaign with a “Stay 5 nights, Pay 4 nights” offer.  The campaign will run until the end of August 2010.

The resorts that are participating in this fantastic offer are Dunk Island, Bedarra Island, Hamilton Island, Hayman Island, Daydream Island, Lizard Island, Heron Island and Thala Beach Lodge.

The campaign includes a 4-page advertorial in Signature’s “The Travel Magazine” (500,000 readers), an e-newsletter to 600,000 travelers, banner ads and a feature story on travel websites and on Signature’s 1,100 travel agency websites. 

Consumers will be encouraged to find out more about the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef with a Signature promotion that will see one lucky winner receive their dream vacation to the Island of their choice. 

New Product Introduced to Cairns - The Night Dive on the Great Barrier Reef

The Quicksilver Group has launched an exciting new product into Cairns – The Night Dive, designed for small groups of adventure-seeking certified divers.

Aboard dive vessel Silverswift, this is Cairns only night dive excursion, departing at 5.30pm to the Outer Reef and returning at 11.15pm.

The Night Dive will initially operate each Thursday, subject to weather conditions and be conducted from Great Adventures’ Norman Reef platform.

Non-diving companions can also join in the excitement as a “topside” observer. While not being able to participate in dive activities, they can take in the sunset on the outer reef, view the diving activities from the underwater observatory and enjoy dinner on the Great Barrier Reef.

For more information on The Night Dive, visit www.silverseries.com.au/the-night-dive.

A whole new way to visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

To celebrate the opening of the newly renovated Wildlife Hospital Precinct, Currumbin has launched a new Experience Pass which includes the Wildlife Hospital Precinct AND the Green Challenge Adventure Parc high ropes course with park entry!

This means for the one price visitors can now come in and see their native wildlife, check out the world-class animal shows, see vets performing surgery on native animals at the Community Wildlife Hospital and take on the Green Challenge Adventure Parc.

Click here for more information and bookings. Online bookings receive a 10% discount!

Armor All Gold Coast 600, Gold Coast, Oct 22 to Oct 24 2010

Queensland's beautiful Gold Coast will play host to the Greatest Show on Wheels this October when the V8 Supercar Championship Series launches the latest Rock 'N' Race event - the Armor All Gold Coast 600.

The event will see 18 of motorsports biggest international names, including former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, paired with the permanent stars of the V8 Supercar Championship Series for a 600km battle on the iconic streets of Surfers Paradise.

The action continues off the track each evening with the 600 Sounds festival boasting a massive line up of internationally-recognized acts headlined by The Beach Boys on Saturday. Other evenings will see the Ministry of Sound's Ian Carey (Friday), Empire of the Sun and Sneaky Sound System (Sunday) performing under the stars at the Broadwater Parklands.

Tickets include both on/off track and festival action and prices start at just $49 for a Friday ticket or from $136 for a three-day pass. Full event information is available through www.goldcoast600.com.au.

Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival, 27 Oct to 31 Oct 2010

The award-winning Noosa Multi Sport Festival has grown in stature to become one of the world's largest annual multi-sport events with more than 8,000 participants and many more thousands of spectators joining in for ‘as much fun as they can handle’ each year.

Every year the Noosa Triathlon – the headline event of the Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival – attracts the cream of the triathlon crop with athletes like Emma Snowsill, Emma Moffat, Courtney Atkinson, Craig Walton and Lorretta Harrop taking their marks.

For big-name athletes and first-timers alike, the Noosa Triathlon ticks all the right boxes in terms of atmosphere and fun. www.usmevents.com.au

Name: Lisa Monks

Title: Sales & Marketing Manager, North America & New Zealand

Company: Tourism Tropical North Queensland

Located in: Cairns

Nickname: My Aussie school friends call me “Chippy” - think about that and let me know if you know why J and my US and Canadian friends from my Japan days call me RRCJ or CJ for short (RRCJ is short for Risa Risa Cult Jam) yeah, can’t work that one out! Haha

How Lisa can help you: Tourism Tropical North Queensland is the regional tourism organization for the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region. This amazingly diverse region is vast and covers an area from just south of Mission Beach up to Cape York and the Torres Straits and west to the outback Gulf Savannah region. I would love to share my knowledge of the region and help better your understanding of this beautiful part of Australia. I can assist you in regards to familiarizations for trade development; tactical campaign opportunities; itinerary/holiday package development and other promotional opportunities you may wish to implement to increase your bookings and knowledge about the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region.

Favorite Queensland vacation: Aahh that’s a difficult one as I’m really quite spoilt for choice! Whatever I say will sound like a marketing spiel, but the truth is my favorite getaways include scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef when I get the opportunity; driving north along the coast road and spending the occasional weekend up at Cape Tribulation where I love to go kayaking and also Jungle Surfing above the rainforest canopy which gives you the most amazing views; and driving out west to the Gulf Savannah region where my No. 1 favorite past-time would be sipping a glass of Champaign and watching the sun go down over the amazing Gulf Savannah at Undarra Lava tubes

Claim to fame: If you give me 3 for my favorite vacation can I sneak in three here too... well maybe technically its only 2...

Meeting Prince Andrew at a cocktail reception at the New York Yacht Club where he wanted to know if everyone in my company had long curly hair (my colleague who was standing next to me also had very long curly hair); talking “very briefly” to President Bill Clinton who sat directly in front of me on a flight from New York to Washington and lastly sitting next to Uma Thurman on the lawn at Central Park while listening to the Dalai Lama speak to me and 65,000 of my closest friends... but I have to admit, he didn’t actually “speak” to me and she only smiled at me, does that count?

Email: lisa.monks@tnq.org.au

Website: www.cairnsgreatbarrierreef.com.au