EO Update 17 Nov 2025

From industry events to on-ground famils, the past two weeks have showcased the depth and diversity of our destination, with strong trade engagement across leisure travel and business events, supported by continued momentum in destination development and industry collaboration.

The TPDD Annual General Meeting provided a valuable opportunity for members to come together, reflect on key achievements, and align on priorities for the year ahead. We welcomed Allan Horne (Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas) to the Board as our newly elected General Director, and congratulated Jason Heffernan and Abigail Ralph Cummings on their reappointments as Zone Directors for Mossman, Daintree and Cape Tribulation. We also acknowledged Sharyn Brydon’s appointment as Vice Chair and thanked Lani Cooper for her ongoing contribution as she steps down from the Vice Chair role. Our sincere appreciation goes to outgoing General Director Andrew Hearn for his dedication and service. The collective expertise and passion across our Board continues to be a driving force behind TPDD’s strategic direction and industry impact.

Trade engagement remains a core focus, with a strong fortnight for both leisure and business events. We were pleased to host a key famil group from Goway as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, welcoming 12 of their top-selling agents to explore the region. At the same time, Reef Unlimited hosted Korean influencers and content creators, helping to profile the destination across Asia-facing channels.

On the business events front, Michela represented BEPD at Connect in Cairns and welcomed buyers for a two-night extension to Port Douglas, which included immersive experiences with BEPD members, site visits, and a networking breakfast at The Boat House hosted by TPDD.

Our region’s natural beauty and collaborative spirit were also celebrated with the official reopening of the Jindalba Boardwalk in the Daintree, led by Traditional Owners the Eastern Kuku Yalanji.

Congratulations to Lazy Lizard Motor Inn, Daintree Discovery Centre, and Cairns Adventure Group on their recent recognition at the Queensland Tourism Awards, and to Daintree Siesta and Cape Tribulation Camping on achieving ECO Certification.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an EOI for the Digital Content Project, the response has been fantastic. We’re now finalising participating businesses and coordinating with LeanVisuals. Stay tuned for more opportunities to be involved as we continue rolling out destination-led visual content for the region.

Behind the scenes, work continues on campaign planning, destination development initiatives, and welcoming our most recent competition winners, the Murphys from Melbourne and the Watsons from Christchurch, who visited the region as part of a recent campaign activation.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and collaboration.

Emma