)
STRUGGLING businesses on the Coast are set to receive a boost from an international tourism campaign to be launched today at Sea World.
Tourism Queensland’s (TQ) Million Dollar Memo is giving one lucky company a chance to win $1 million in travel incentives including transport, accommodation and entertainment.
TQ CEO Anthony Hayes says part of the aim is to present the Gold Coast as a place to do business and have fun – and balance out visitor numbers by luring people in the low season.
“The average businessman spends 2.5 times more than the average holiday maker. It’s no accident we are launching this event at the Gold Coast,” says Hayes.
The challenge sees 20 finalists visit the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays and North Queensland before finishing at Port Douglas on August 31.
Representatives from 20 companies begin the eight day contest today at Sea World’s Dolphin Cove.
Hayes says some competitors have supported the campaign, pointing to internet company Yahoo!’s move to upload promotional material to its homepage.
“We’re using the strength of those companies. Our partners involved, including (the six-star) Palazzo Versace hotel and Gold Coast Convention Bureau, see potential for a huge impact over the next four to five years,” he says.
The competitors include Lend Lease (Australia), Yahoo! (Taiwan), Veto Insurance (New Zealand), Samsung Card (Korea), Reading Room (UK), Boomerang Reisen Gmb (Germany) and ADR Group of Companies (Indonesia).
)
