EVENTS THE KEY TO RECOVERY
Booster for communities and businesses from timetable of sport, festivals and exhibitions
SPORTING showpieces, festivals and exhibitions are proving to be a critical weapon in the Queensland tourism industry’s fightback against Covid’s economic impact.
So much so, Tourism and Events Queensland is aiming to increase the financial benefit from its events program of $880m in 2019.
The Jeff Horn-Manny Pacquiao superfight at Suncorp Stadium in 2017 was a turning point for the state and its confidence to host major events.
Since then, Queensland has hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the 2020 AFL Grand Final, this year’s NRL Grand Final is coming to Suncorp Stadium and the state is preparing for the 2032 Olympic Games.
But in between the headline acts is a growing schedule of world class events that fall under the It’s Live! In Queensland calendar.
They include this month’s Brisbane Festival, Rugby Championships, Outback Festival and IRONMAN on the Sunshine Coast. The European Masterpieces exhibition, with 65 paintings spanning 500 years from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, runs until October 17 at QAGOMA in Brisbane.
Through October and November, the Caloundra Music Festival, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and Noosa Triathlon will draw crowds to tourism hot spots up and down the Queensland coast.
And sports fans are already counting down the days to December when the first Ashes Test of the summer is held at the Gabba and to January when the Australian PGA
Golf Championship tees off at Royal Queensland.
TEQ chief executive Leanne Coddington said events of all shapes and sizes had a valuable effect on communities.
“Events are intrinsically linked with tourism and form part of the fabric of communities right across the state, as well as our organisation’s marketing efforts,” Ms Coddington said.
“When people attend an event, the host destination and its businesses benefit, from the local accommodation providers, cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs to tourism operators and transport businesses.
“By the same token, events bring people together, providing the opportunity for people to reconnect with friends, family and their community.
“There’s an array of events staged in every Queensland destination, from sporting and participatory events to lifestyle and cultural events, with friendly locals rolling out the welcome mat everywhere you go.”
The It’s Live! In Queensland events calendar can be viewed at Queensland.com/events