Tourism in fine feather
WE HAVE recently returned from Rutland Waters in the UK after attending the 2015 British Birdfair.
Now in its 27th year, this event has become the largest of its type and attracts visitors and exhibitors from around the world.
Profits from the fair are used to support global conservation projects.
Billed as “The International Wildlife Event of the Year”, the British Birdfair annually attracts about 24,000 visitors who are able to access information on wildlife tourism and conservations issues from around the world.
We have jointly organised and co-ordinated the Australian birdwatching stand at the event for the past six years, displaying and marketing businesses associated with avian tourism.
The majority
of
these businesses are from Tropical North Queensland due to the fact that the region hosts over half of all Australia’s bird species in an incredibly diverse range of habitats, all within a two-hour drive of Cairns International Airport.
This was the key selling point on the Australian birdwatching stand this year.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Tourism Events Queensland were very generous in their support, providing some funding assistance for this year’s attendance.
We presented lectures at the Birdfair, with Trish receiving a standing ovation following her presentation of “Drive North Queensland – The Ultimate SelfDrive Birding Destination”.
Andrew’s lecture, titled “The Daintree – Birding in Australia’s Unique, Tropical North Queensland Rainforest”, was attended by more eager listeners.
Lecture appearances at the Birdfair are extremely valuable and keenly sought after, as audience members seeking further information will follow the lecturer back to his/her stand.
Submitting an application does not necessarily guarantee selection for the program with many applicants missing out.
Birdfair co-founder Tim Appleton personally organises the lecture program.
The Australian birdwatching stand also offered a Tropical North Queensland birdwatching holiday package giveaway over the weekend with the winner receiving more than $3500 worth of accommodation and guiding from avian tourism businesses in the region.
Over 390 entries were received with the winner being
than
350 drawn by TV presenter and author Stephen Moss, who is also the producer of the popular British program, Birding with Bill Oddie and has made several visits to Tropical North Queensland.
We have already committed to organising the stand at next year’s event, albeit with no funding support at this time.
Non-attendance at the Birdfair would result in the reallocation of the stand to one of the many organisations that have waited up to seven years for a site to become available.
We believe it is imperative that Australia maintains a presence in what has become a highly competitive and extremely lucrative side of the wildlife and nature tourism market.