Gold Coast waves Queensland holiday flag in South East Asia
Posted by editor (editor) on Jun 10 2010
2010 >>

Nine Gold Coast tourism operators are taking part in a Queensland trade mission to South-east Asia aimed at growing visitors from the region, Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said.

Mr Lawlor said 11 Queensland operators would visit key travel trade contacts in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore between April 11 and 17 as part of Tourism Queensland’s Queensland on Tour trade mission.

“Of these, nine are from the Gold Coast and two from Brisbane,” Mr Lawlor said.

“The Queensland on Tour trade mission will enable participating tourism operators to meet with more than 350 South East Asian travel agents, product managers and reservation staff.

“Key aims of this road show are to increase awareness of Queensland as a fantastic holiday destination and to raise the profile of our tourism operators.

“The mission also seeks to grow business opportunities with key trade partners and strengthen relations with South East Asian travel industry decision makers.

“Queensland on Tour will begin in Singapore with a series of workshop events and will then continue on to Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.

“By waving the Queensland flag in these regions of Asia, we hope to increase the flow of holidaymakers traveling to our state.”

Mr Lawlor said Queensland on Tour coincided with increased flights from Malaysia to Brisbane, launched on 28 March.

“Malaysia Airlines has reinstated direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane which makes Queensland more accessible from South-East Asia,” he said.

“Until recently, passengers travelling to Brisbane on Malaysia Airlines had to fly via Sydney.

“Now they can travel directly from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane twice weekly.

“And Air Asia X’s daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast have also proved to be an ongoing success.

“Queensland on Tour is well-placed to promote Queensland as a fantastic, easy to get to holiday destination.”

Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes said it was important to nourish the emerging markets of South East Asia.

“In 2009, Queensland received 100,000 visitors from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, with the Indonesian market growing strongly by 14 per cent,” Mr Hayes said.

“Queensland on Tour will allow our tourism operators to build business with key industry contacts in the region.

“This trade mission will help us realize the great potential for growth from South East Asia.”

Mr Hayes said the participating operators were Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise, Tweed Endeavour Cruises, Superbee Honey Factory, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Catch a Crab @ Birds Bay Oyster Farm, Warner Village Theme Parks, Tropical Fruit World, JPT Tour Group, Couran Cove Island Resort, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort.

Last changed: Jun 10 2010 at 2:40 PM