Bowen Information Centre Scoops Awards; To Host 2019 QICA Conference

Bowen, at the Top of the Whitsundays, has been announced as the host location for the annual Queensland Information Centres Association Conference in 2019.

The announcement comes on the back of winning the Business Planning & Innovation Award and the Marketing & Media Award at this year’s QICA conference in Hughenden, Outback QLD.

The annual conference brings together tourism industry delegates and representatives from the 111 QICA accredited Visitor Information Centres across Queensland for networking, industry workshops and tours within the region.

Outgoing QICA president Anita Fry congratulated Bowen on being the successful region to host the QICA conference for 2019.

“We are excited to be visiting this gorgeous location, to have you on board and looking forward to attending, networking and bringing everyone together again in 2019” she said.

Bowen Tourism and Business Chairman, Jonathan Freeman, said the announcement was the result of the BTB team working with local businesses to highlight Bowen’s capability to host conferences and provide diverse tour experiences within the Whitsundays region.

“The 2019 QICA Conference will offer the opportunity to showcase Bowen’s beauty to staff from Visitor Information Centres across Queensland so they can promote Bowen and the Whitsundays as a holiday destination within their own centres” he said.

“Winning the Business Planning & Innovation and Marketing & Media Awards in 2018 demonstrates the hard work performed by the BTB team to market Bowen and the Whitsundays through new and ground-breaking technologies. The QICA conference in 2019 will allow us to showcase our innovative approach to destination marketing and the ways we are ensuring our Visitor Information Centre remains relevant into the future”.

Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer Natassia Wheeler congratulated Bowen Tourism and Business for winning the Business Planning & Innovation Award and the Marketing & Media Award.

“This is a well-deserved accolade and is a testament to the passionate and dedicated team at Bowen who continue to deliver innovative marketing initiatives for the region,” she said.

Mrs Wheeler also highlighted the significance of drawing the QICA Conference to Bowen next year.

“The flow on effects that a conference of this scale has on the broader Whitsundays region is huge and it is such an honour to be the destination chosen to host next year’s QICA Conference,” she said.

The 2019 QICA conference will be held in October, with planning to commence early in the new year.