Operators are ready for the new way of business, from new offerings to welcoming flights. The business of MICE in the travel industry is opening up.
Here is the latest news from Australia and New Zealand in the MICE Industry.
Cairns welcomes interstate flights
Cairns is excited to welcome back interstate travellers, celebrating the arrival of the first flight from Sydney with a water cannon salute and tropical carnival themed welcome inside the terminal to greet passengers. More than 300 visitors from New South Wales arrived from Sydney within the first hour of Queensland opening its borders. Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Olsen greeted guests alongside members of the tourism and business industry. “Our small population base and wide-open spaces make the Cairns region a highly desirable destination for people or groups wanting to leave the crowds of the cities behind. Cairns and Great Barrier Reef is where you can swim with turtles, see cassowaries in the world’s oldest rainforest and dine on extraordinary regional produce in beautiful tropical resorts.” The interactive welcome event is a positive showcase of the region’s collaboration and hospitality that’s available to all travellers, business and leisure.
Business events operators in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef are also ready to greet the interstate travellers. Operators have been innovating while their doors were closed and now they are ready to take visitors on new journeys exploring superior venues and attractions, the largest reef on Earth, and the world’s oldest rainforest. Some of these include:
Taste locally grown wagyu beef and tropical delicacies at KUR-Cow Farm, Kuranda’s one-stop-shop for an authentic Australian cowboy experience. The magical offsite venue overlooks rolling mountain ranges and takes guests on ATV tours, an iconic hayride experience and horse riding. Breakfast, lunch, and sunset BBQ packages are available for laid-back offsite events.
Cash is no longer king at the Crystalbrook Collection with the group becoming Australia’s first cashless hospitality company in response to COVID-19. Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, will reopen with the group’s Mindfully Safe program which donates $5 from every direct booking to Beyond Blue. Guests can destress with relaxing Spotify playlists and meditations, as well as yoga, barre, Pilates and art classes on the in-room iPads.
Tackle the new Tower Climb and Lookout at AJ Hackett, Cairns for picturesque coastal views from above the Wet Tropics Rainforest treetops. The 196-step climb provides the perfect view for delegates to watch their colleagues take the plunge off the 50m high platform during an epic touring day adventure or offsite function. It has uninterrupted views of the starry night-sky during a once-in-a-lifetime offsite dinner on the bungy platform or down below amongst the lush tropical rainforest.
Rediscover the summer flavours of mango, finger lime and ruby grapefruit with the local Wolf Lane Distillery Tropical Gin during an afternoon cocktail making class or delegate after party. Three Wolves kickstarted Cairns city’s small bar scene when they opened their namesake bar in a laneway, followed by the below street-level Flamingo’s Tiki Bar, and have just opened their third bar at the Wolf Lane Distillery.
Whilst Mum and Dad are conferencing, children aged from 8 to 11 who can’t wait until they turn 12 to learn to dive can now try scuba diving for the first time with Divers Den’s PADI-endorsed program for kids. The dive can be part of a partner program and is done in a pool where you can also snorkel and scoot about with an underwater scooter.
Mt Mulligan Lodge is the only Australian property to make the Conde Nast Traveller 2020 Hot List. The Northern Escape Collection property is an ideal reward for small executive groups wanting to connect offsite after a conference. Fish for barramundi in the weir, tour the property on an ATV and experience the day-to-day workings of a cattle property.
Marine biologists at Reef Magic Cruises are installing Reef Stars at their Marine World Pontoon. These provide a stable base for coral to grow on with the aim of increasing coral cover. Guests will glide over the Reef Stars on the glass-bottom boat tour, the ultimate Great Barrier Reef touring day that has something for delegates.
IHG launches ‘Meet with Confidence’
Meeting and events planners can help clients to deliver safe and creative solutions with the launch of IHG offers that don’t compromise on the experience. Aptly named ‘Meet with Confidence’, the offer combines a commercial reassurance for all guests (including zero cancellation fees or attrition fees at participating hotels), along with cleanliness reassurance thanks to an overhaul of IHG Way of Clean in partnership with Cleveland Clinic.
‘Meet with Confidence’ is instilled with maximum flexibility and includes:
- No cancellation fees
- No attrition fees for rooms that are not booked
- Up to a 5% rebate towards the master bill
- Short-form contract
- IHG Business Rewards points applicable on all bookings
The offer applies when booking 10 to 50 rooms for your next meeting or group event at participating hotels, with or without a meeting room. Valid when booked by 31 December 2020, with meet or stay dates by 30 June 2021.
CINZ and TNZ renew long-term commitment
The ongoing agreement between Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) and Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) will continue to be enhanced to market New Zealand as an international business events destination. The two organisations have renewed their longstanding commitment to promote business events to New Zealand by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) confirming cooperative activity. TNZ’s Global Manager for Business Events, Lisa Gardiner says a key focus of the renewed partnership will be TNZ’s expertise in the management of international tradeshows as a platform to showcase the industry to the world. Tourism New Zealand will continue to drive global marketing activity in support of the sector and operate the Conference Assistance Programme (CAP) as a key tool in securing large scale international conferences.
CINZ Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says coordination across the sector delivers significant benefit for the New Zealand industry and the economy as a whole. “Now, more than ever, we are demonstrating the united approach and commitment New Zealand has to securing business events globally, as we prepare for open borders in the future. The economy needs our industry to be part of the recovery story and this MOU ensures full collaboration on the most meaningful opportunities between the business events industry and TNZ,” Lisa Hopkins said.
