Our achievements for 2024/25

A snapshot of our achievements for the 2024/25 financial year include:

Business Support

• Hosted our Annual Major Projects & Industry Forum with 14 expert speakers, 3 sessions (Future Energy; Major Projects; Manufacturing, Research and Education) and 100 people.
• Hosted (in partnership with Capricornia Chamber of Commerce) the 2024 Best in Business Awards – 10 categories, 11 sponsors, 141 nominations, 4 Independent judges, 2 charity recipients (CQShines and Fitzroy Community Hospice) sold out crowd of 230 guests
• Updated and Published the2025 Economic Report for Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton Region
• Provision of Regional Profile and Statistics and Key Economic Sectors
• 50 weekly Electronic Database Mailout (EDM) to Members and Stakeholders
• Continued advocating for funding support for Great Keppel Island
• Provided over 102 hours of advisory services to facilitate customer and community participation in Energy Queensland’s 2025-30 Regulatory Determinations
• Presented at the Rockhampton Public Hearing on the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (Economic Development, Olympic & Paralympic Games) – June (recorded in Hansard)
• Hosted 3 Members Networking Nights with 115 attendees
• Provided 26 Letters of Support to community groups, Council and partners for funding projects
• Capricorn Enterprise is a Member of 15 Associations
• Capricorn Enterprise has representation on 8-11 advisory groups and committees on behalf of our broad membership base including Qld Local Content Leaders Network, Stanwell Community Partnership Fund, Olympic Rowing 2032 R’ton sub-committee
• Assisted Salty Lime Co. achieve  Eco certification, which enhances our Destination certification.
• Provided PR support for the official openings and product launches of Ofishal Beachclub, Reef Distillers Fingerlime Botanical Vodka, Thyme Travellers Farm Stay, High Valley Dawn off-grid Accommodation, Elysium Retreat & Stays, Keppel Bay Sailing Club, Time Safaris Cemetery Tours, Villa La Sini, Mount Morgan Recreational Fossicking area, The Salty Lime Co accessible amenities at Ceremony Hill, The Salty Hops Festival, The Salty Lime Co school tour experience, Tropical Luxury Cars Mercedes-Benz Stretch, Yeppoon Golf Club Clubhouse refurbishment.
• Provided PR support for Member Awards and significant announcements – Keppel Eats – PFD’s National Award for Excellence, Design+Architecture – QLD Regional Architecture Awards, Reef Distillers – World Drink Award, Lyn Diefenbach, 2032 Olympic Games Rowing and Canoe Events, Beef Australia 2024 and Fun Over 50 Holidays at Australian Tourism Awards, Capricorn Caves celebrate 140 years, Great Keppel Island Hideaway –  Queensland Tourism Awards, Footlights Theatre Restaurant celebrates 30 years, Capricorn Coast ECO Destination Certification, Design+Architecture wins Architecture Award
• Panelist at Qld Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network at RRR conference in Rockhampton
• Encouraged and supported operators in meeting criteria to be included in the 2025 Best of Queensland Experiences Program (62 BOQ local operators with an average Review Pro GRI score of 89.24, increased by .89 compared to 2024.  16 operators achieved a perfect score of 100/100)
• Supported 8 operators to participate in the Tourism Trade Mentoring Program 2024/25 (Australian Tourism Exchange).  ATEC QLD Showcase  and ATE25
• Managed 52 ATDW listings (events, localities, free attractions) across the destination
• Reviewed and recommended 6 QDEP (Queensland Destination Events Program) funding applications, with 3 approved for a total of $53,000 funding from Tourism and Events Queensland
• Attended Tourism Australia’s 2025 Destination Australia conference
• Attended Tourism Week in Brisbane (Destination IQ, Destination Q, Qld Tourism Awards)
• Attended the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards to support our State Gold Winners
• Participated in TEQ’s Mega Business Planning Weekwith RTO Chairs and CEOs
• Partnered with the Department of Environment, Tourism, Innovation and Science to host the Capricorn Destination 2045 Workshop

Destination Marketing

• Launched our updated 2024-2032 Destination Tourism Strategy including 2032 targets
• HOSTED a RECORD 70 Tourism Trade partners across 33 Familiaristions to region (either fully hosted, part hosted, or self drive):

1. Ross Long Photographer – July 2024
2. Carnival, Ponant and Scenic Cruise Famil – July 2024
3. Ecotourism Australia (CEO Elissa Keenan) – July 2024
4. Adam Ford – Top Oz Tours – August 2024
5. Campermate Famil – August 2024 (prep for online campaign May/June 2025)
6. Kiwi Talks Travel (Jasmine Gruber) – October 2024
7. Feel Good Family (Katie, Paul, and Jasper) – October 2024
8. NRMA’s Open Road (Dorian Mode and Lydia Thorpe) – October 2024
9. Optimal Travel Famil UK (Reshma Shah, Director) – October 2024
10. Maritime Safety QLD GM (Kell Dillon), DTMR Regional Harbour Master (John Fallon) at Keppel Bay Marina – October 2024
11. Royal Caribbean (Senior Executives) – October 2024
12. GetAboutAble and Australian Cruise Association (Gemma Axford) – October 2024
13. Pre-ATEC Meeting Place Famil (Sandra Feustel, GM Product for Pan Pacific) – October 2024
14. TravelEssence (Andrew Morton and Frits Marchand) – November 2024
15. TravelEssence (Gerrie Willemsen) – November 2024
16. Risskov Reiser (Iben Thriege, Sales Manager) – November 2024
17. Terra Australia (GM Christophe Napierai, agent Alexandre El-Habouz) – November 2024
18. Escape (Alexis Burton-Collins) – February 2025
19. The Camper Men (Gerd Blank and Henning Pommée) – February 2025
20. My Dream Adventures – annual team building and famil – March 2025
21. German Travel Writers (Christian Haas and Matthias Stoll – April 2025
22. Travelhome (Netherlands) Rick Dierckx (reservations) – April 2025
23. Riksja Travel (Netherlands) – Madelon Jansen van Rosendaal & Meike De Vlieger – April 2025
24. Pre-ATE Famil (House of Travel, Knecht Reisen, Travelbag, Travel Trend) – April 2025
25. Post–ATE Famil (First Light Travel, Progetto Australia, GoWay (Across Australia), Antipodes) – May 2025
26. Post-ATE Famil (Tourism Australia European Director, Eva Seller) – May 2025
27. Post-ATE self-drive Sandrine Dizerens Feillet (Co-Founder and Director) and Pascale Gerson (Product Manager) from Antipodes (France)
28. Post ATE self-drive Ralph Wischer Travel Essence (Netherlands) – May 2025
29. Post-ATE self-drive Famil (Australia One) – May 2025
30. Australiareiser Norway Famil – May 2025
31. Tourism Australia’s Industry Relations Manager Rachael Glendinning – May 2025
32. Diveplanit (Deborah Dickson-Smith) and Dive Spear & Sport 1770 – June 2025
33. Across Australia (formerly Goway ITO) – June 2025

• RECORD number (16) of training webinars to 120 tourism agents:

1. July: Air Canada Vacations – 1 PAX (PM)
2. July: Experience Oz – 1 PAX – destination manager
3. July: My Dream Adventures – 8 PAX
4. July: Boomerang Reisen (DE) – 16 sales agents
5. July: Ignite Travel Group  – 1 PAX – destination manager
6. July: Expedia – 1 PAX – destination manager
7. August: Best Of Travel Group – 2 PAX (GM & PM)
8. August: House of Travel 2 PAX – new destination manager
9. September: Travelhouse – 32 agents (SGBR islands only)
10. October: Travelessence – 2 PAX (new PM)
11. November: Travelbag – 31 agents
12. January: Travelbag – 1 PAX (new PM)
13. February: Australia One – 1 PAX (groups manager)
14. March – Travelhome (NL) – 8 PAX
15. April – Destinology (UK) – 1 PAX – new destination manager
16. June: Travelbag (UK) – 12 PAX

• Attended on behalf of our Southern Great Barrier Reef partners,  Tourism Australia Marketplace UK Europe – 116 retail travel agents from 30 agencies, 64 appointments – November 2024
• Attended the ATEC (Australian Tourism Export Council) Queensland Showcase in Sydney with 5 new to trade industry operators, providing an opportunity to meet with key industry partners, wholesalers, and inbound tour operators in Sydney – 240 appointments March 2025
• Attended Qld is Calling New Zealand roadshow and Distribution Development Weekend  (11 Product Managers with TEQ to promote Capricorn Coast, SGBR to key agents and media – March 2025
• Collaborated with our Southern Great Barrier Reef partners to attendthe International Media Marketplace (IMM) in Brisbane preceding ATE25 on – 17 appointments 28^th and 29^th April 2025
• Attended the 45th edition of the Australian Tourism Exchange from 27^th April to 1^st May 2025 Bne – 88 appointments
• Commissioned and hosted television shows including Ch7 Sunrise live weather crosses
• Commissioned Ch7 The Great Outdoors “Rainforest to Reef” story in May (will air within months).
• Developed and distributed over 150 PR content pieces for local media and online platforms
• As a member of the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) ensuring our destination remains front of mind for major cruise line companies, attended the ACA conference in Adelaide, then hosted 4 cruise companies on famils – Carnival, Ponant and Scenic,  Royal Caribbean , then welcomed Luxury Expedition Cruise visits Keppel Bay
• Partnered with our fellow Drive Queensland and Caravanning Queensland to promote our state and destinations to southern visitors at six (10) 2024/25 Caravan and Camping Shows and 4×4 Outdoor Shows, with volunteer representation from the Capricorn Coast VIC at four (4) in SA, VIC, NSW and QLD. 
• Attended theTrade Travel Expo in Sydney to promote our destination coach tours (Kiama Probus Seaside Group booked the Capricorn Coast tour last July 2024 due to our previous attendance at this event)
• DRIVE CAMPAIGN – ‘Queensland’s Greatest 100km Road-Trip’
  • News Corp Ltd – 2.5M impressions, 5,400 unique click throughs to our landing page with a target audience of SEQ and northern NSW (focus on families & DINKS)
  • Visit Capricorn META Promotion – still underway, target audience of Sunshine Coast – Mid Campaign results = 3,109 click throughs to landing page, 115,000 reach, 233,190 impressions
  • Campermate Campaign – National campaign via Campermate digital channels and app to increase length of stay in the region – still underway results pending
• Participated in the Tourism and Events Qld (TEQ) Virgin andQantas campaigns
• House of Travel New Zealand Campaign March 2025
• Travelbag SGBR campaign in the UK – Feb to June 2025
• Best of Travel Group SGBR Campaign – Germany – April to June 2025
• Trade publication advertising – AOT Helloworld and Boomerang anniversary publication
• Collaborated with our Southern Great Barrier Reef partners to update SGBR media kit and SGBR tourism trade manual to share at ATE25 and ATE IMM25
• Developed and distributed a 2025 Master Event Calendar, including significant date claimers with potential to enhance the destination on a major scale and increase visitation.
• Distributed Quarterly (4) EDMs to Visit Capricorn subscribers
• On behalf of our SGBR partners, distributed Quarterly (4) EDMs to SGBR subscribers
• Provided event support and promotion via online platforms including social media, TravMedia, and https://livecapricorncoast.com.au/events/whats-on
• Continued our successful partnership with Caravan Parks Association of Queensland and Drive Queensland with destination advertising in publications and front page exposure

Investment Attraction

Capricorn Enterprise meets regularly with interested investors to the region, presenting the latest statistical research and ‘on the ground’ intel.  CEO Mary Carroll and was invited to participate in the Dest2045 ‘Deep Dive’ Investment and Attraction meeting with Minister for Environment and Tourism, Science and Innovation, to explore ways in which the State government can reduce the exorbitant costs of construction and streamline development processes.  Capricorn Enterprise also meets regularly with Local government representatives (LSC) to advocate for strategic investment opportunities in the region which will maintain our environmental, financial and social sustainability.  Capricorn Enterprise strongly supported the recent Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) by LSC to support the East-West Connector road which will enable critical housing and associated infrastructure needed to relieve pressure on short term accommodation in the region.

Visitor Servicing

• Planned, developed, and designed the destination 2025/26 Visitor and Lifestyle Guide – the primary piece of marketing collateral produced by Capricorn Enterprise (distributed to all Accredited VICs in Queensland and major highways into Qld, 10 caravan and camping shows across the country, and broadly distributed throughout Central Qld).
• Conducted 2 Workshops and launched “Capricorn Coast Region Welcomes You” Program
• Updated the Great Keppel Island Map which promotes six main walking/hiking trails
• Updated regional Caravan Park Map which promotes Member properties
• Updated Capricorn Coast Street Map on behalf of Livingstone Shire Council
• We own and operate the Accredited Capricorn Coast Visitor Information Centre in Yeppoon, open 7 days a week which greeted some 18,400 visitors through its doors and answered over 1,200 phone enquiries

Visitation

• The Capricorn Coast Region, including Rockhampton, 883,000 domestic and international visitors who stayed 3,151,000 nights to the year ending December 2024.  This represented a 2.3% three year trend change in visitor growth.  Visitor Expenditure of $728 Million to the year ending December 2024 represented a 12% three year trend change in growth. While domestic visitors have increased 10.6% since 2019, international visitation to our region still has a way to go before reaching pre-pandemic levels.  Source: Tourism Research Australia NVS

Leisure website and social channels (results to end of May 2025):

• Received 91,000 unique visits to our regional tourism destination site www.visitcapricorn.com.au
• Received 15,000 unique visits to www.livecapricorncoast.com.au (includes Rockhampton region) – a one stop liveability platform – jobs, education, health, events, real estate, community groups, visitor information and much more
• Received 7,000 unique visits towww.tastecapricorncoast.com.au platform – Capricorn Coast Food Trail project in partnership with LSC, an Australian Bushfire Recovery Initiative (also linked within the livecapricorncoast site)
• FACEBOOK (Visit Capricorn leisure) –25K followers, Total reach 1.75 Million
• FACEBOOK (Southern Great Barrier Reef) – 47K followers, Total reach 1.22 Million
• FACEBOOK (Taste Capricorn Coast) –2.9K followers, Total reach 83K
• INSTAGRAM (Visit Capricorn leisure) – 13K followers, Total reach 304K
• INSTAGRAM (Southern Great Barrier Reef) –42K followers, Total reach 177K
• INSTAGRAM (Taste Capricorn Coast) – 1K followers, Total reach 26K
• YOUTUBE (Visit Capricorn) – Total views since 1^st July 2024 – 13,144

Corporate website and leisure channels (results to end of May 2025):

• Received 36,000 unique visits to www.capricornenterprise.com.au – The site serves as a central hub for the latest industry news, regional developments and business opportunities – covering tourism, business, major projects, and economic growth
• FACEBOOK (Capricorn Enterprise) – 5.5K followers
• FACEBOOK (Support Local Buy Local) – 6.9K followers