NEWS
Friday February 26, 2021
“We’ve never been to Cairns before, so we thought we’d come up and have a look. It’s awesome, we’re having a blast. We’ve just done the jet-ski tour, yesterday we went to Crystal Cascades and tomorrow we’re going to the Reef.”
CAIRNS
Confirmed: Cairns is the best HOLIDAYMAKERS from all over Australia are being encouraged to make Cairns their destination of choice this year, after the city was crowned “Aussie Town of the Year” by Wotif.com. After an incredible challenging year for the Tropical North Queensland tourism community, Cairns has taken out this year’s top spot in the annual competition run by the go-to travel site for domestic travel, Wotif.com. The other top ten towns, in order, were Pokolbin NSW, Apollo Bay VIC, Mudgee, NSW, Lakes Entrance VIC, McLarenVale SA. Hervey Bay QLD, Exmouth WA, Port Macquarie NSW and The Entrance NSW. The winning destinations are selected based on their accommodation quality, affordability and traveller satisfaction. This year, the awards also recognise destinations that have met the changing
needs of travellers over the last twelve months of uncertainty, by offering increased flexibility, good-value deals and appealing activities and attractions. Wotif Managing Director, Daniel Finch said Cairns was a world-wide bucket-list destination and a worthy winner of the award. “Not only is it the gateway to one of Australia’s most treasured natural beauties – the Great Barrier Reef, but the city itself offers the ideal laid-back tropical lifestyle,” he said. “To think that this humble city, which does so much for Australian tourism on an international scale suffered a loss of more than $50 million a week during the height of COVID-19 is incomprehensible. “With an average nightly accommodation rate of $155 in 2020, it’s time Aussies consider visiting this incredible part of Australia, that people from all over the world come to see. “With the overall loss to Australian tourism due to
BRIEFS
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IWD Breakfasts
Liam and Alex Saunders, from Victoria, in Cairns for a nine-day holiday.. PHOTO: Tanya Murphy
TANYA MURPHY
Cairns Local News
COVID-19 now totalling over $59 billion, there is a huge job ahead to get the industry back on its feet and with this year’s awards, we hope to motivate Aussies to discover a new corner of their own country.” Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Mark Olsen said the local industry was excited to receive the top gong. “Here in the State’s tropical north we have been fortunate to have very few cases of COVID-19 allowing us to move about more freely,” he said. “However, the economic impact of closed borders has decimated our economy which relies on tourism. “Australians are desperate for a holiday and Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, with its wide-open spaces, low population and excellent nature-based experiences is the ideal destination.” Shangri-La Group Director of Distribution and Leisure Gavin Maloney said every travel business within the region had worked hard to
keep the community strong during the COVID-19 crisis. “A trip to Cairns keeps locals in a job and that extends beyond travel businesses – to farmers growing fruit on the Tablelands, boutiques selling bathers by the beach, and cafes serving coffee to the boat crews getting ready to carry tourists to the Great Barrier Reef,” he said. The awards come as new Wotif research confirms that for the Aussies that managed to take a local holiday in 2020, the overwhelming majority (95 per cent) agree that their trip either met or exceeded their expectations, proving many travellers are loving the opportunity to spend more time exploring their own backyard. Most Aussies (60 per cent) now recognise there’s a lot more to explore in their own backyards, with one in four (26 per cent) admitting they had forgotten how great a local trip can be.
ENJOY an early start with acclaimed news presenter Joanne Desmond or laugh along with comic Miss Judy Free at two International Women’s Day (IWD) breakfast events this year. CairnS Regional Council is celebrating the achievements of inspirational women and their contribution to the community at breakfast events at Pullman Cairns International and Hilton Cairns on Monday 8 March. Channel 7 news presenter Joanne Desmond will host the official awards presentation at the Pullman Cairns International, while local Star FM announcer Juanita Soper will emcee the Hilton function. “This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Choose to Challenge’, which reinforces the need to celebrate women’s achievements and to take action for equality,” Mayor Bob Manning said. “Those attending the breakfast events will have the chance to hear from the hosts and from keynote speaker and local businesswoman Allie Chadburn, who will share her experiences and how she has overcome adversity. “Finally, the awards will recognise the accomplishments of
women who have made an outstanding contribution to our community.” The award winners will be announced and presented at the Pullman International event in the following categories: Cairns Regional Council Woman of the Year Optus Young Woman of the Year Channel 7 People’s Choice Award Cairns Hardware Scholarship Those attending the Celebration of Women function at the Hilton Cairns will not miss any of the action, with the formalities to be streamed live from the Pullman Cairns International. The Hilton function will include performances by Miss Judy Free and Cairns Voice Studio Young Artists. The performances will be streamed to the Pullman event. Both breakfast events start at 7.30am. Tickets are $42 per person and available from Ticketlink, visit www.ticketlink.com.au or phone 1300 855 835.
CAIRNS
IWD Luncheon
PANEL of respected Far North leaders will headline the International Women’s Day lunch at Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns on March 8. Cairns Chamber of Commerce President Sally Mlikota will host the three-course gathering that celebrates this region’s women through the theme Women in leadership: moving the Far North forward. Mareeba Shire Council Mayor and former Cairns State High School Principal Angela Toppin and the 2018 Cairns Women of the Year Donna Corrie will share insights into their work supporting Far North communities in both professional and volunteer capacities. Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Clare O’Neill – commander of 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Reg-
iment, and founder of the Defence Entrepreneurs Forum Australia – will also talk about her military career and experience with defence leadership. Ms Mlikota said that while she does not consider herself to be a “feminist” she does value the chance to pause on International Women’s Day and ponder progress. The International Women’s Day lunch will take place between noon and 2.30pm in Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns ballroom with tickets $99 and available by emailing events.slmc@shangri-la.com or calling 4052 7769.
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