$200 Million Spend for Tropical North Queensland
The Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region has an exciting year ahead in 2012 and well beyond, with a wide range of new developments and refurbishments either underway or well into the planning stages.
Announcing the new initiatives today at AIME, Rosie Douglas (Director of Business Events at Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef (BECGBR) said: “Not only do these initiatives present some fantastic new options for both conference and incentive planners, they also demonstrate the confidence and optimism that the public and private investment sectors have in our destination.”
The initiatives include a new entertainment precinct, foreshore redevelopment for both Cairns and Port Douglas, some significant upgrades to Cairns Airport, increased airline capacity, major hotel and resort rebranding and refurbishment plus some new attractions. Resorts in Port Douglas are some of the key beneficiaries, with upgrades and redevelopments taking place at Sheraton Mirage and the rebranded QT Resort (formerly Rydges Sabaya Resort)
Cairns Airport will have $18.0M spent on the international terminal, system upgrades as well as parking and the walkways around the domestic terminal, all due for completion this year. Virgin has already added six services per week between Brisbane and Cairns; and Jetstar will put on four extra flights per week from Melbourne as of 01 April. There are over 8000 international seats per week into Cairns from Japan, Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, New Zealand and PNG. From 01 April both Jetstar and Air New Zealand will add services from Auckland and Jetstar will also add an additional Osaka service (making 5 per week).
The new entertainment precinct, located adjacent to the foreshore area, will see the development of a 1080 seat theatre, a public plaza and the refurbishment of the heritage listed Whites Shed into a public space. Sunlover Cruises is investing $700,000 in the refurbishment of its luxury catamaran MV Tropic Sunseeker, which will include a new engine, new soft furnishings and exterior painting.
Covering a geographic area of more than 272,000 square miles TNQ is the only place on earth where two World Heritage-listed areas meet; the amazing underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef and the lush, steamy and wet Tropical Rainforest.
Written by : Peter Watson
