New Directors elected to Tourism Tropical North Queensland Board

Ben Woodward -the director of a pioneering family-owned tourism group, and Brian Arnold - the general manager of an Aboriginal trust with investments in the Daintree and the Savannah Way have been elected to the Board of Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) at the 2021 Annual General Meeting held yesterday.

Director of Sales and Marketing at The CaPTA Group Ben Woodward was elected as a General Director. Woodward is well connected to the inbound tourism sector which will be vital for the industry’s return to international travel. As a director of his family’s company he has been a vocal supplier representative for the destination during the pandemic.

Elected as the Tropical Tablelands and Remote Zone Director, Brian Arnold is the Group General Manager of the Aboriginal Development Benefit Trust representing Doomadgee Roadhouse. Established under the Gulf Communities Agreement, the Trust provides strategic and development support for its investments including the Daintree Discovery Centre, Burketown Pub and Ancient Journeys.

TTNQ Chair Ken Chapman thanked the retiring Directors – Sam Ferguson from Destination Cairns Marketing, Paul Fagg from Skybury Coffee, and Mark Evans from Paronella Park – for their contribution.

Speaking at the AGM, Chapman said TTNQ had seized opportunity from adversity during the worst trading conditions for tourism businesses in history noting “we grew our market share in the last quarter with record numbers of domestic visitors in May and June, continuing an upward trend in the region’s share of domestic visitors over the past decade.

“Our advocacy and lobbying was ramped up as never before for government support for tourism businesses and their staff resulting in unprecedented funding support from the Federal Government and strong support from the State and Cairns Regional Council.

“This allowed the TTNQ team to put together the most comprehensive integrated consumer marketing campaigns we have ever had.”

Chapman highlighted “but there is no point in marketing to people who can’t travel and that has been the saga of the past year with great campaigns ready to go, but pulled at the last minute due to yet another lockdown or border closure.

“Where we have had clear air we have achieved good results. This region has become the most Googled in the country after Sydney and Melbourne.

“The way forward is with immunisation and I urge everyone to take advantage of the growing number of vaccination clinics to protect themselves against COVID-19 and ensure our community does not go into another lockdown.

“I am confident that we can all pull together and come back stronger, but we will need ongoing funding support for destination marketing from all levels of government to win back our flight connections and rebuild our relationships with trade around the world.”

Image: Daintree Discovery Centre. Credit: Destination Daintree