Far North tourism operators reveal their priorities to achieve TTNQ destination management plan targets

The Far North’s peak tourism body wants the local industry to be generating $7.5bn by 2032. Here’s how local operators believe they’ll achieve the ambitious target.

Couple exploring Elim Beach and the Coloured Sands. TTNQ has released its draft destination management plan.

Far North tourism operators want advocacy and government efforts for the visitor industry to be heavily focused on landing more direct aviation for Cairns, in a bid to boost international travellers.

This week Tourism Tropical North Queensland released its draft Tropical North Queensland Management Plan 2032 – setting an “ambitious” target of becoming a $7.5bn industry in eight years’ time.

The plan identified strategies and markers for the advocacy body, local operators and governments to consider to establish the Far North as a “globally sought-after” destination.

As part of the draft plan, TTNQ chief executive Mark Olsen called for “innovation by the tourism industry” to “facilitate investment in new experiences”.

Upon reviewing the plan, CaPTA Group director of sales and marketing Ben Woodward said his interpretation of Mr Olsen’s call was to ensure operators “lead the way in the delivery of regenerative tourism”.

Capta Group owner Ben Woodward with Minister for tourism Michael Healy get up close with Pavvy the koala and Grugg the carpet python with one of the centre’s wildlife handlers. Photo: Dylan Nicholson

“We need support so we extend beyond the sustainable practices that our destination has already pioneered, to allow travellers to engage meaningfully with their surrounding environments, and actively contribute to its restoration and improvement,” he said.

“We need to design and deliver experiences that promote ecological restoration and wildlife conservation, support local economies, and foster deeper connections between tourists and the natural and cultural heritage of our unique part of the world.”

People floating down Mossman River on back country bliss. TTNQ has released its draft destination management plan.

Mr Woodward said the local industry, which generated $4.7bn in expenditure last financial year, was still covering from a decrease in international visitors since the Covid pandemic.

Pullman Reef Hotel Casino general manager Wayne Reynolds said since the construction of the city’s newest hotels – the Crystalbrook Collection – room capacity in Cairns outweighed the number of visitors, particularly from international flights.

General Manager of the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Wayne Reynolds says increasing our aviation access is will predetermine the Far North’s success or failure in getting further Picture: Brendan Radke

“For the region, increasing our aviation access is what will predetermine our success or failure in getting further,” Mr Reynolds said.

“With the development of new aircraft in the (Airbus A320neo) and the flight range of those, we’re certainly sitting in the box seat to get some more business that way.”

Mr Reynolds said the $200m Queensland Attracting Aviation Investment Fund 2022-2025 was helping encourage new routes to Cairns but called on the federal government to consider greater investment in one of the “largest” tourism regions in the country.

“Federally, there’s a lot more tax dollars if they can bring more people into to the region.”

He said as a hotelier, one of his primary focuses identified in the plan was drawing “business events tourism,” which in 2023-24 secured 76 business events worth $53m in overnight visitor expenditure as well as a record 152 leads totalling $113.2m.

Originally published as Far North tourism operators reveal their priorities to achieve TTNQ destination management plan targets