Queensland on Tour – Europe and UK a huge success for Southern Great Barrier Reef Destination!
Posted on December 10th, 2019
Thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland, this year’s Qld on Tour Europe and UK events were a huge success! Held every two years, our amazing international TEQ teams in Europe and the UK bring together key Product Managers in tourism wholesale as well as retail travel agents to meet directly with Queensland tourism operators and Regional Tourism Organisations.
Participation was limited to 27 Qld representatives this year, made up of six regional destinations and 21 individual operators, many from Tropical North Qld. Gareth Phillips, marine biologist from Reef Teach, based in Cairns provided exceptional presentations about the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef and attended media interviews. As we recently hosted Gareth in partnership with Keppel Dive, he was able to speak with conviction about the health of the reefs around the Keppels in the SGBR.
As the representative for the entire Southern Great Barrier Reef destination on behalf of our three way partnership in Capricorn, Gladstone and Bundaberg regions, I’m pleased to report that interest in our part of Queensland was very high, with the product knowledge increasing each year as more of our operators become active in trade distribution and attend the Annual Australian Tourism Exchange.
This is the third time that our Southern Great Barrier Reef destination has attended Qld on Tour Europe and UK, with Product Manager famils already planned for 2020, due to keen interest in our destination.
The seven day sales mission is like a mini ATE, which is an incredibly busy schedule and includes 5 to 10 minute one on one appointments with individual Product Managers as well as group presentations with retail travel agents.
Qld on Tour Europe commenced with one on one training to about 80 agents in Pforzheim, Germany at an incredible art installation of the Great Barrier Reef in the “Gasometer”, a re-purposed building, perfect for this event.
Our Qld delegation then travelled by air charter to Paris, France where we held one on one training to about 60 Product Managers and agents on a two level boat on the River Sein.
We then travelled by air charter to Salzburg, Austria where we held one on one training over two days to another 70 Product Managers and agents at the ‘Cool Mama’ hotel overlooking the snow-capped mountains and 360 degree views over the city and the Salzburg Castle in the distance.
After some incredible networking events with the Product Managers on Saturday evening and Sunday, our Qld delegation then travelled by commercial flight from Salzburg to London, where after a good night’s sleep, we held one on one training to 25 key Product Managers at “Australia House”, a stunning location in which also houses the offices for TEQ UK and Tourism Australia UK.
That evening we presented to a group of about 50 agents in London, then the following day travelled by coach to Manchester, where we presented to another group of about 50 agents and Product Manager.
Seven very busy and exhausting, yet successful days and the follow up is extremely exciting for our Southern Great Barrier Reef destination!
Mary Carroll, CEO Capricorn Enterprise
