Workers and families in the Mt Isa region are being lured to Tropical North Queensland with discount flights and holiday packages during summer.

Tourism business development company Parker Travel Collection has formed an alliance with Skytrans to present the first of a series of holiday campaigns with special fares on the four weekly air services from Mt Isa to Cairns starting at $99 one way.

Skytrans Queensland Hot Deals accommodation packages are available in Cairns city, at the beaches, Port Douglas, Daintree and Green Island with prices starting at $130 for three nights. Tour packages are also on offer with reef and rainforest trips, plus some of Tropical North Queensland’s iconic attractions on offer.

Parker Travel Collection Managing Director Todd Parker said the campaign was the first of its kind in regional Queensland where an innovative approach was needed to sell holidays during summer.

“A holiday at the beach, a rainforest sojourn or a city getaway is ideal for the Mt Isa market and we already have the advantage of frequent Skytrans connections, so Tropical North Queensland is the perfect place for families and mine company employees to take a break,” he said.

“This is the beginning of a mining and regional strategy for Parker Travel Collection and we are very proud to be working so closely with Skytrans to develop a long-term sales solution for regional Queensland.”

Skytrans Commercial Manager Steve Jones said the Skytrans Queensland Hot Deals campaign between Mt Isa and Tropical North Queensland was the first step in the company’s goal to develop a Skytrans Holidays division satisfying all the ports within the network with accommodation, attractions, touring and holiday packages. 

“This would increase the use of Skytrans flights and establish us as a pioneer in developing Central, Regional and Tropical North Queensland from a tourism perspective while working hand in hand with the growth in the mining and agriculture sectors.

“We are very excited about the long-term development of an airline holiday product range for a very unique market.

“The team at Parker Travel Collection offers the infrastructure, products, experience and skills to develop this range and, as they are already actively involved in developing saleable tourism in central Queensland, we can capitalise on this and then grow further into Cape York Peninsula.”

Mr Jones said the Skytrans Queensland Hot Deals brochure would be distributed on all Skytrans Flights and by travel agencies and companies in the region.

Pictured above: Mike Thinee - General Manager Commerical, Todd Parker - Managing Director, Parker Travel Collection, Steve Jones - Manager Commericial, Muralee Siva - CEO

In 2012, Tropical North Queensland will experience one of the world’s great astronomical events – a total solar eclipse.

On the morning of Wednesday 14 November 2012, the earth will be plunged into darkness as the moon passes in front of the sun.

This remarkable event is destined to be one of life’s awe-inspiring moments not to be missed – and as such, has spurred a number of experienced tourism companies to form a commercial working team to best assist in maximizing its potential in the tropical north.

Spanning some six different organizations representing restauranteurs, tourism marketing professionals, Music festival specialists and coach, airline and reef tour operators, a commercial alliance has been formed to ensure the region is well placed to benefit from this natural occurring event while providing the necessary infrastructure for visitors to capture the eclipse in its magnificence and glory.

Spokesman for the group, Todd Parker of Parker Travel Collection said, “In December 2002, the Solar Eclipse at the small township of Ceduna in South Australia attracted over 40,000 people – which as a destination was considered the prime observation point.

“Given the 2012 eclipse will pass directly over areas within TNQ, we are confident of attracting the same number of observers – at the very least. With the possibility of coastal cloud cover affecting visibility, it has believed the best place to view the eclipse will be on the Tablelands and out on the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.

Currently this initiative is handling enquiries from scientific astronomers and a number of festival organizers who are planning to stage some of the largest music events in the region coinciding with the eclipse.

Robin Macpherson who has been in Cairns for the past four years planning such events, said “In 2002 over 8000 people went to the Outback Eclipse music festival. In 2012 we would expect substantially more given the accessibility and natural beauty of the region. We look forward to working hand in hand with local operators to present a whole series of inclusive ticketing options.”

Mr Parker said the consortium’s sales and marketing focus will be on increasing the length of stay in the region from local, regional, state, national and international markets – to make the most of far reaching expenditure that will be created by this once in a lifetime event.

Team Eclipse 2012 is a consortium of the following professionals:

Festivals: Robin Macpherson, Serpent Trail & Eclipse Down Under
Air Charter and Touring: Ian Button, Air Australia Charters & Tours
Coach Charter & Touring: James Dixon, Downunder Tours
Reef Charter & Touring: Michael Healy, Quicksilver Group Catering
Catering: Craig Squire, Ochre Restaurant & Catering
Logistics: Andrew Dineen, Parker Travel Collection
Accommodation & Packaging Sales and Marketing: Todd Parker, Parker Travel Collection

Parker Travel Collection has launched a new campaign in Hong Kong designed to bring independent Chinese travelers to Queensland.

Managing Director Todd Parker said the campaign was based around China Airlines’ 50th anniversary, using China Airlines flights from Hong Kong to Sydney and Brisbane with special fares that can be used with Qantas internally.

“The China Airlines Vacation promotion is one of the first destination models targeting the Free Independent Traveler (FIT) market in southern China and Hong Kong,” he said.

“The campaign builds on the recent Tourism Australia promotions targeting this market in Hong Kong.

“Queensland has proven itself a popular destination for Chinese groups with the successful charters each Chinese New Year, but with this campaign we will see families, couples and single travelers experiencing the holiday of a lifetime in Queensland’s most popular destinations including Cairns, Port Douglas, the Gold Coast and Noosa.”

The China Airlines Vacations campaign which features accommodation and touring packages throughout Queensland will be distributed via the internet and retail agencies in Hong Kong and South China.

Parker Travel Collection will make sales calls in the market for the next seven months as the promotion runs through to 31 March, 2010.
Download China Airlines Vacations brochure.

Stunt riding and an Australian BBQ add to the true-blue flavour of the $10 million tourism venture opened near Port Douglas on Thursday (May 28).

Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism Steve Wettenhall and Member for Cook Jason O’Brien officially opened the spectacular show to a select audience of 180 VIPs.

The Australian Muster experience will provide its visitors with an up close and personal view of daily life on a cattle station – enjoying spectacular entertainment from the sidelines as stockmen deftly muster cattle and brave bucking bulls.

Owned and managed by Mossman-based cattleman Gordon Pringle and marketed by Parker Travel Collection, the Australian Muster Experience is staged at a purpose-built facility backing on to the beautiful rainforest of Daintree National Park at Miallo, a short drive north of Port Douglas.

With seating for 400 people, the $10 million tourist venture is also targeting the lucrative business events tourism market with its unique outback dining experience within easy reach of Cairns and Port Douglas.

“An authentic Australian outback experience on a cattle station is a must on many travel itineraries following the interest generated by the movie Australia,” said Mr Pringle, who runs cattle on several nearby properties.

“The Australian Muster Experience allows visitors to experience the excitement of life on a working cattle station while visiting the twin World Heritage areas of the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest in Tropical North Queensland.”

The Stockman’s Lunch Muster and the Grand Outback Experience for dinner operate Wednesdays to Fridays at the 19th century inspired outback cattle station, uniquely framed by rainforest and with spectacular views to Port Douglas.

The Australian Muster Experience is also part of Port Douglas Carnivale with extreme bull riding and some of the best bucking bulls in the country featuring on the Saturday night program (May 30).

Two people can experience the Australian Muster Experience for the price of one as an opening special until the end of June. For more information go to www.australianmusterexperience.com

Left to Right: Sharon Issack - AOT Account Manager Victoria, Emma O’Brien – AOT Account Manager Victoria, Todd Cornford – National Sales Manager, Parker Travel Collection and Jill Lance – AOT Account Manager Victoria.

Always at the forefront of developing innovative ways to market Queensland, Parker Travel Collection steps up to the plate once again with the launch of its biggest ever domestic retail campaign: 2009 QUEENSLAND HOT DEALS TO COOL PLACES.

Kicking off this month with the launch of its eighth season, Hot Deals to Cool Places is a campaign focused on selling Queensland holidays to Australians. Key to its success is capturing the attention of travel agents with a user-friendly brochure or guide to Queensland.

For the coming 2009-2010 travel season, Hot Deals to Cool Places campaign has been built around the launch of its 16 page, full colour brochure of special offers and value-added packages to key destinations within Queensland.

“This brochure is designed to be the travel agents’ quick-sell bible to Queensland. While compelling the agents’ call-to-action with hot deals and packages (strategically aimed at boosting visitation at various times throughout the year), we place high priority on its destination information and content.

“This season, like never before, the brochure is bursting at the seams with tips, tricks and general hints on how to get the most out of each region, city, town or village featured,” he said.

Mr Parker said Australia’s travel industry is now being flooded with 60 000 brochures via brochure distribution and personal mail systems – as well as sales calls on travel agencies throughout Melbourne, Sydney, Country NSW, Brisbane and south east Queensland.

“Our sales call mission has already begun and will continue over the coming months while garnering extra profile through industry advertising campaigns promoting HOT DEALS integrity as an effective sales tool for Queensland.

“This will be our biggest campaign ever with 5000 retails sales calls conducted over the next six months with more campaigns to come. Our message is simple, ‘c'mon Australia, come to Queensland - it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next!

“It’s imperative we remain aggressive in the selling Queensland as a holiday destination - targetting Australia as our most important market,” he said.

While continually striving to bring Queensland - via interesting and exclusive products and packages - to the market, Parker Travel Collection is proud to include several new experiences in this year’s campaign. As follows:

• Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club; opened in March, the resort is Australia's newest golf course accommodation.
• The Australian Mustering Experience; ‘live’ outback mustering experience operating three days and nights a week out of Port Douglas.
• New DFO shopping tours in Cairns; opening this month.
• Boutique, 84 room Portal Hotel in Brisbane city; opened in March and with the very chic O bar & restaurant.

Parker Travel Collection’s Hot Deals to Cool Places campaign secured its place in the Tropical North Queensland’s Tourism Award’s Hall of Fame in 2007 for Product Marketing

Todd Parker, Managing Director, Parker Travel Collection celebrates the launch of first ever dedicated QLD campaign in Guam with David Kendall, Director of Micronesia Sales and Marketing, Continental Airlines.

The team at Parker Travel Collection have notched up another first with the launch last week of Guam’s first ever dedicated Queensland campaign.

Entitled Queensland Hot Deals (GUAM), the campaign was created by Parker Travel Collection in conjunction with Continental Airlines to essentially support the carrier’s five flights weekly between Guam and Cairns.

Speaking about the campaign, Mr Parker said the campaign is designed to compel Micronesia’s visitor market with a series of pay/stay offers and packages that are commissionable to travel agencies.

“This campaign is innovative in several respects, not the least of which dictates a percentage of every sale goes back to Continental Airlines to assist with the development of tourism business into Guam.

“These flights are fundamental to the future sustainability of Tropical North Queensland’s tourism industry as they provide a convenient travel option for both Japanese and Micronesians visitors. And I believe this trend will continue with Guam’s US military that is destined to increase significantly with the planned relocation of Japan’s Okinawa US military base,” said Mr Parker.

Queensland Hot Deals with Continental Airlines is just one of many campaigns created by Parker Travel Collection to develop new markets and service them over the long term.

Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club opened today with guests booked in at the 4.5 star, 96-room golf course accommodation.

To celebrate the opening, Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club is offering a special of $99 per night for a minimum two-night stay. The rates are on sale until April 30 for travel until September 30 and do not include housekeeping services.

Developed at a cost of $20 million by HS Vision Group, Paradise Palms’ resort accommodation is destined to become a sought after destination for golf tours, weddings, corporate events, conferences, or those in need of an idyllic getaway within the picturesque confines of one of Australia’s top 100 golf courses.

Situated adjacent to Paradise Palms’ impressive Queenslander clubhouse, the new resort accommodation will provide guests with their own exclusive precinct and private access to a range of quality recreation/resort facilities set within tropical gardens and swimming pools.

Designed to suit the needs of both discerning leisure and corporate guests, accommodation includes a choice of hotel rooms and one or two bedroom self-contained apartments.

The resort’s interior décor has been designed to be sympathetic with the surrounding environment while providing all the comforts and practicality of a resort lifestyle. Quality furnishings and a contemporary fit-out are conveyed in subtle earthy hues set against bright white, metallic artworks and modern timber and leather furniture.

Guests will enjoy close access to the clubhouse’s newly opened 59 Restaurant and Bar, pro-shop, conference centre and the 18-hole golf course. The facilities will be further expanded to include a day spa, health club, 2000sp. M themed children’s playground and mini golf.

Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club is situated on Cairns’ northern beaches just 20 minutes north of the city and 30 minutes south of PortDouglas. The 126ha property is framed by rainforest covered mountains with a picturesque undulation landscape affording panoramic ocean views.

               

Following a successful opening in August, Brett Stallbaum, Manager of Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway is proud to announce that in its first two months of operation over 8000 people experienced the new icon.

To further spread the word, a major film shoot was recently undertaken to capture the beauty of the attraction and its surrounding environment. The result is a fully established photo and film library ready for distribution, including several versions of a short training film on Mamu. The film was released late last week to the Tropical North Queensland Visitors Information Centre to its band of volunteers and can be viewed above.

Mr Stallbaum’s team are now working with Mamu’s sales and marketing appointed partner, Parker Travel Collection, to spread the word across the world using its newly released ‘media’ comprising moving footage and imagery. The objective is to reach millions across the world using distribution via tourism authorities, online, wholesale and retail travel agents.

Mr Stallbaum said “This project has allowed Government and private sectors to work together in harmony, and now we have the visual imagery to show the rest of the world and attract even more people to the region.”

This imagery is an important tool in the sales and marketing process, Todd Parker, Managing Director of Parker Travel Collection congratulated the attraction for investing in the image and film footage library.

According to Mr Parker, “Its readiness for distribution is perfect timing. With ‘Australia’ the movie in the headlines and its stunning rainforest imagery, the media produced will effectively highlight our domestic and international visitors to the depth of experiences available in Tropical North QLD.”                                                                                   

 

This year Parker Travel Collection launched its global tourism marketing network with new divisions established for the Asian and Continental European markets. This week the expansion continued with the opening of a sales office in Korea.

This latest development was celebrated on Thursday 31 July 2008, with an official opening attended by 70 tourism industry professionals and performed by Queensland’s Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, Hon. Desley Boyle MP.

The event took place at Paradise Palms Resort and Country Club’s newly opened venue, Fifty Nine Restaurant and Bar from 6pm. Along with Parker Travel Collection’s team from Cairns, Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne offices, this event will serve as an opportunity for key members of the region’s tourism industry to meet with new staff, Ronnie Kim, Irene Park and Henry Han.

According to Todd Parker, managing director of Parker Travel Collection, this event signifies the opening of a dedicated sales office in Seoul and sub-branch in Daegu.

“Parker Travel Collection’s Korean Sales Office will be located in well-known tourism company, Korean Tourism Relations (KTR) that is headed up by Ronnie Kim and supported by Irene Park.

“KTR has been extremely successful in the tourism marketing arena promoting Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort and will now add Parker Travel Collection’s portfolio of quality tourism products,” said Todd.

In Korea, Henry Han has been appointed by Mr Parker to look after his company’s interests and in so doing, will be responsible for retail and wholesale selling, training and staying in touch with frontline sellers on a daily basis.

Mr Parker says Korea is a burgeoning tourism marketplace with the second biggest honeymoon market in the world and as such, will be one of his company’s key areas of focus. Others include business incentive style travel, groups, golf and a new program for families. The new Korean language brochure is available online –
www.parkertravelcollection.com/attachments/PTCMEMBERBROKOREAN.pdf
brochures are also printed in Spanish, Chinese and English as part of our global services.

Following the success of Thursday night’s event marking the launch of Parker Travel Collection’s sales office in Korea, Mr Parker would like to acknowledge Minister Boyle’s commitment to tourism and willingness to face all challenges head on.

“We greatly appreciate Desley’s support for our latest development that occurs at a time when tough economic conditions require a much greater focus. This is a time to try new ideas and as has been our mantra from the outset, we want to lead the market. In practice, this requires scientific selling and frequency of contact with travel companies to ensure we remain ‘front of mind,” said Todd.

The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa has blitzed this year’s HMAA Awards achieving five out of five category wins at last night’s gala in Brisbane.

An elated Craig Biber, General Manager of The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa and Vision Hotels and Resorts said he was delighted with the award-haul that exceeded expectation to win everything they entered and more.

While the overall highlight was being named Property of the Year, there was a great deal of personal satisfaction for key team members with Mr Biber winning the new A.C.E.S. Award for his individual contribution to the industry and Executive Housekeeper, Jean Lapthorne awarded Department Manager of the Year.

In addition to these awards, The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa won Best Resort Award while Human Resources Manager, Tess Pinches, who was instrumental in the resort’s training success, was in attendance to accept the Training Award.

Mr Biber said last night’s success is down to a fantastic team of people who work hard to position The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa as a leading accommodation provider with outstanding surroundings, facilities and service.

“This success is also testament to the skill and dedication of our Director of Sales and Marketing, Rosie Douglas,” said Craig.

He continued, “What we have achieved is extra special considering we are an emerging marketing brand competing against established global hotel organisations.”

The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa’s recognition at this year’s HMAA awards caps off an award-winning week with the property’s housekeeping department winning both categories (Jean Lapthorne won Housekeepers Trophy of Excellence and Sue Affleck named Rising Star of the Year) at the inaugural Housekeepers Awards in Cairns and signature restaurant, Lago named Hotel/Motel Restaurant of the Year at the local Restaurant and Caterer’s Awards for the third year running.

The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa is a member of Vision Hotels and Resorts. For more information, visit www.thelakescairns.com.au or www.visionhotelsandresorts.com.au