Tourism and Events Queensland

The Whitsunday’s 🏝️ tourism industry was in celebration mode over the weekend with the 2025 Whitsunday Tourism Awards 🥇 held on Saturday 18 October 2025. Aligned with Tourism and Event Queensland’s Best of Queensland Experiences Program (BOQEP) certification, 93 finalists across 14 categories 🌊🐠🛎️🤿, including attractions, accommodation, restaurants and experiences, were honoured on the night. Kevin Collins (Fish D’Vine co-owner and ‘White on White’ event founder) was the recipient of the coveted Bob Porter Award for Outstanding Service. The night shone a light on the incredibly high-quality tourism offerings in this striking region of Queensland. Congratulations to all involved including Tourism Whitsundays, the event organisers, and all of the well-deserving award winners. A full list of award recipients can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gWnACA3T

👉Join Queensland’s Guiding Community of Practice! Tourism and Events Queensland invites tour guides, tourism operators and others involved in the guiding sector to join the Queensland Guiding Community of Practice (CoP) - a new statewide network designed to strengthen and celebrate the guiding profession. The CoP provides opportunities to: 🔆 Connect with other guides, operators and industry partners 🔆 Access training, mentoring and career development pathways 🔆 Build cultural knowledge and sustainable guiding practices 🔆 Contribute to a strong and professional guiding workforce for Queensland By joining, you’ll receive updates on training opportunities, regional events, and industry news, and become part of a growing community that values storytelling, professionalism, and cultural respect. 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gGW2_ngY

📢 Queensland is calling - and Europe and the UK answered! 🌏 Our Tourism and Events Queensland team have just wrapped a successful roadshow across Europe and the UK, proudly showcasing Queensland to the world. The “Queensland is Calling” trade mission brought together 39 Queensland passionate tourism businesses, kicking off in Spain and Germany, where they connected with 63 travel trade buyers from key source markets including Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. With more buyers than sellers, the energy was electric! More than 2000 ‘speed dating’ style appointments, plus networking events and team building activities sparked new partnerships and possibilities. The second leg landed in Cologne, Germany with the Queensland cohort training 48 retail agents, with the last activity in Manchester, United Kingdom, with 63 highly engaged with UK retail travel agents, who showed strong interest and enthusiasm for what’s next. Want to know more about our UK and European markets and see what’s coming up? Check out our international marketing opportunities page https://lnkd.in/gip-x7Zp.

A trip to Moreton Island has reached the luxury era! 🌊 Queensland’s tourism industry is entering an exciting era with the launch of See Moreton's Spirit of Mulgumpin - a brand new, $10 million luxury catamaran, proudly built on the Gold Coast. This world-class vessel sets a new benchmark for high-end travel experiences to Moreton Island, one of the world’s largest sand islands and a jewel in Queensland’s crown. The Spirit of Mulgumpin offers visitors an elevated way to explore the region’s natural wonders, from snorkelling the iconic Tangalooma Wrecks to relaxing on pristine beaches and encountering dolphins, turtles, and dugongs on eco-cruises. By evening, the vessel transforms into an elegant floating venue, providing a unique vantage point of Brisbane’s city lights. This investment not only showcases the best of local craftsmanship and industry expertise but also signals a new chapter for Queensland’s visitor economy by offering discerning travellers a luxury way to travel to the iconic island. 

⏱️ Applications for Round 2 of Homegrown are closing soon! Do you have a homegrown event that’s uniquely Queensland? Round 2 funding is available through our recently refreshed “Homegrown - Queensland’s Destination Events Fund” (Homegrown). Homegrown has supported more than 1,000 events across Queensland including the iconic Kalbar Sunflower Festival, Noosa Festival of Surfing and the 1770 Festival. Support is available across three tiers of funding - 🍽️ Destination Signature events can receive from $15,000 - $40,000 🎪 Destination Significant events can receive from $40,000 - $100,000 🪃 Destination Indigenous events can receive from $15,000 - $40,000 For more information visit https://lnkd.in/gSPqKh-D Applications close on 4.00pm (AEST) Thursday 16 October. 

💂 Brisbane Boys’ College (bag) pipe dream comes true! 🥁 The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has unveiled its first line up of performers for its exclusive Brisbane shows at Suncorp Stadium in February 2026, and some very local talent are marching in the spotlight. Among more than 30 bands and cultural groups from more than 12 countries - including the UK, Norway, Japan and Tonga - the Brisbane Boys’ College Pipe Band is proudly amongst the line up, perform in the record-breaking stadium run of “The Heroes Who Made Us”. Members of the local band gathered yesterday for the cast announcement at their home ground in Toowong, just one suburb away from Suncorp Stadium, joined by the Tattoo’s Creative Director, Allan Lane. Other local talent in the line-up includes the Queensland Police Pipe Band, the Australian Federation Guard, the Australian Defence Force Pipes and Drums, and the Combined Military Bands of the Australian Defence Force, all of whom will join performers from more than 12 countries. The run will be the Tattoo’s first ever performance in Brisbane and one of its most ambitious stadium performances to date. The Brisbane performances are another milestone in Queensland’s expanding event calendar, as it marches towards its ambition to be events capital of Australia. The exclusive run is set to inject $39 million into the state’s economy. Tickets are available through Ticketek - https://lnkd.in/gS-bKYFz (limited availability). Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Queensland) Brisbane Economic Development Agency Brisbane City Council TEG Pty Ltd Suncorp Stadium

Capricorn Coast and Townsville shine green on the global stage! 🐸   Congratulations to the Capricorn Coast and Townsville for being named among the world’s most inspiring destinations, officially selected as finalists in the 2025 Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition. The finalists were selected for their innovative and effective initiatives and projects from destinations working towards more sustainable global development. Capricorn Coast’s story submission, “Stronger than the storm: Building a thriving, sustainable future,” highlights how this resilient regional destination turned natural disasters into a catalyst for sustainable development, community strength, and environmental leadership. Townsville’s story submission, “A city working with nature and biology to rapidly restore and regenerate the natural environment following disasters,” highlighted the region’s community and nature-driven initiatives in response to extreme weather conditions. The finalists were announced at the recent Green Destinations Conference in Montpelier in France, with Capricorn Coast represented by Eloise Chaffers who attended while in Europe attending TEQ’s “Queensland is Calling” trade event. This recognition marks another milestone in Queensland’s journey toward responsible and sustainable ecotourism, a key pillar of the Destination 2045: Delivering Queensland’s Tourism Future strategy. Capricorn Coast and Townsville now advance as finalists for the prestigious Green Destinations Story Awards, to be presented at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show in March 2026. Learn more about their inspiring stories in the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories Competition: https://lnkd.in/d-G6wgJN Capricorn Enterprise Townsville City Council

Outback Queensland delivered an unforgettable experience ♥️🤠 when Tourism and Events Queensland’s Chair Grant Hunt A.M., CEO Craig Davidson and Group Executive Marketing Kim McConnie, MBus journeyed through the region this past week. Travels through Longreach, Winton, Quilpie, Eromanga and Charleville allowed the team to experience firsthand some of the Outback’s world-class experiences, deep-rooted history and rare charm. Tourism is one of the Outback’s most important sectors and with the focus on recovery gaining momentum, there’s never been a better time to head out to this great region. One of the biggest takeaways of this visit? The passionate people. The warm hospitality at every touchpoint, from the proud Mayors and Councillors, the tourism operators, through to the locals always willing to stop and chat, that really fostered ‘That Holiday Feeling’. Hats off to those who work tirelessly every day to improve tourism outcomes with a strong commitment to making each visit special. Thanks to our valued partner the Outback Queensland Tourism Association (OQTA) for their local insight and ongoing collaboration. We look forward to working together to spur the recovery ahead of the next tourist season.

🌞 Happy World Tourism Day! 🌴 We were caught up celebrating our footy wins on the weekend, but better late than never because there’s no expiration date on wanderlust. From sandy beaches and lush rainforests to outback road trips, Queensland is ready to welcome explorers from all over Australia and the globe who are seeking ‘That Holiday Feeling’. Shout out to our incredible industry and tourism operators who make our state, and all the incredible experiences within it, so special. #WorldTourismDay

A Queensland holiday - It’s music 🎶 to Australians ears, literally. Our new brand campaign ‘That Holiday Feeling’ soundtrack by Brisbane-born Kita Alexander has officially been nominated for an Aria Award! Nominated for ‘Best Use of an Australian Recording in Advertising’, the remake of the cult 80s classic Holiday is bringing as much nostalgic joy to listeners as a holiday in the Sunshine State. ☀️🏖️🌇 It of course takes a village to bring these incredible concepts to life: Publicis Groupe ANZ, TAXI, dentsu QLD, Music Mill and Warner Music Australia.