CRC snares state tourism award

 

Cairns Regional Council's contribution to the local tourism industry has added to the recent list of major awards.

CRC took out the Local Government Award at the Queensland Tourism Awards in Brisbane on Friday night. This followed receipt of a similar award at the Tropical North Queensland Tourism Awards the previous week.

The Local Government category is open to all local government authorities and recognises excellence in tourism planning, provision of tourism facilities and services, marketing, event development and management, and the overall contribution made both locally and overall to the state's tourism industry. 

"CRC invests in and supports our tourism industry at every turn," Acting Mayor Terry James said. "Our natural assets and environment, tropical lifestyle and culture, adventure pursuits and Indigenous culture give us a competitive position both nationally and internationally and distinguish us from other regions across Australia."

Three key events have been highlighted as the basis for the latest award: Cairns Airport Adventure Festival, Mountain Bike World Cup 2014 and the hosting of the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE).

"It's been an exciting year for our tourism industry," Cr James said. "The ATE was a coming of age for Cairns. No longer is our region just a beautiful place to visit, it has the sophistication to host Australia's largest tourism expo.

"This was the first time a regional city had been selected to host the event and Council was right behind the proposal from the start. We're proud to have been involved in making this happen."

Council was also a major partner in two of the region's largest sports tourism events (CAAF, Mountain Bike World Cup), which brought thousands of interstate and international visitors into Cairns.

As part of its ongoing involvement in tourism, Council provides significant financial and in-kind support to local tourism marketing bodies such as Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Tourism Palm Cove and Trinity Beach Tourism, as well as toward individual events.

Delivery of leisure and entertainment facilities such as the lagoon and Cairns Esplanade, Cairns Botanic Gardens and various community markets are major contributors to local tourism.

Council provides camping and caravan parks throughout the region, including at Fitzroy Island and a short-stay free option at Babinda.

Expansion of the free wi-fi service in the CBD encourages visitors to share their Cairns experiences online.

"This is just a small cross-section of the activities by Council that support our tourism industry," Cr James said. "A thriving tourism sector has a dynamic flow-on effect for our local economy and our community. 

"Council is committed to increasing visitation by showcasing and developing our many and unique tourism experiences and we will continue to look for opportunities to grow our industry."

For more information visit Cairns Regional Council