Cairns Convention Centre to be showcased during Tourism Week in 2023  

Cairns has secured the tourism industry’s annual premier events – the Destination IQ and DestinationQ Forums, and the Queensland Tourism Awards gala ceremony – in 2023, presenting a great opportunity to showcase the completed Cairns Convention Centre.  

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Mark Olsen said it was exciting to host the three prestigious events and very timely as the destination ramps up its international tourism recovery.

“This will be an economic boost for Cairns and a great opportunity to showcase the completed Cairns Convention Centre and our world-class tourism experiences to the industry and media.”

DestinationQ is Queensland’s leading tourism industry event which was attended by around 900 delegates on the Gold Coast this year.

The three blockbuster events are predicted to generate up to $1 million for the Cairns visitor economy from accommodation and transport providers, restaurants and cafés to the region’s tourism operators.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said this was a big coup for Cairns and noted “this is an incredibly exciting time for the tourism industry following the release of the new Towards Tourism 2032 strategy, a new ten-year plan that will help transform the industry and our state in the lead up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Local State Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy adds “Tourism week in Cairns is a wonderful opportunity to highlight our growing Indigenous visitor experiences and natural attractions to industry leaders and decision makers.

“It’s the Far North’s time to shine and I’m sure this will be an opportunity our community will embrace enthusiastically.”

Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Chief Executive Brett Fraser stressed the importance of hosting the most significant annual events on Queensland’s tourism industry calendar and added “hosting Queensland’s Tourism Week in 2023, will allow Cairns to showcase the breadth and depth of the city’s venues, products, and experiences.

“An event of this scale will go a long way to supporting the region’s economy and the flow-on benefits will be felt by the many retailers, accommodation providers and local experiences.”

Tourism week in Cairns including Destination IQ, DestinationQ and the annual Queensland Tourism Awards is from 22nd to 24th November 2023.