EO Update

Message from Executive Office

In an exciting development the first flight for the new Cairns–Christchurch Jetstar service landed last Wednesday, marking the first-ever direct connection between Cairns Airport and New Zealand’s South Island. This milestone opens a new gateway to attract high-value visitors from the South Island, with Port Douglas holding a special appeal for the New Zealand market. We look forward to amplifying efforts to entice Kiwi travellers to explore the beauty of Port Douglas and the Daintree.

Our recent Summer and Shoulder Season campaign achieved strong results, delivering high engagement across all platforms. Highlights include 132,000 clicks from demand generation campaigns and 12,200 clicks through search advertising, while 35,000 copies of Discover Paradise were circulated in The Australian Financial Review on March 29 to book-end our summer & shoulder campaign activity.

While we have faced challenging times with recent weather events across Queensland leading to cancellations over the last few months, Easter is looking more optimistic. Whilst occupancy for May and June is trending softer than 2023 (stronger than 2024), July and August are trending significantly above 2024 and well above 2023 based on the current future online occupancy data.

Looking ahead, the Today Show weather cross has been rescheduled to May 8 and 9, offering a fantastic opportunity to showcase our region to a national audience. Advocacy efforts also remain a priority, particularly for the South Waterfront Precinct project. We encourage you to submit letters of support to help advance this important initiative.

Additionally, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) will host an industry update on May 16 at 10am to discuss the Captain Cook Highway works progress and plans. Please register to attend this key session.

On a strategic note, we are making great progress in shaping the Strategic Direction for TPDD, which will guide our activities through to 2029. We also eagerly anticipate a positive outcome on our funding renewal with DSC later this month, which will enable us to continue driving sustainable growth for the region.

In preparation for ATE 2025, we are hosting inbound tourism operators and agents for famil activities, with a highlight being the Chinese Inbound famil in May organised by TTNQ. This initiative will help connect us with high-yielding Chinese visitors, and TPDD will host a sunset sail on the Shaolin on May 19 as part of this effort. We are calling for EOI to join us for this important opportunity to connect with key Chinese ITOs. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot.

Finally, we are proud to support DSC’s efforts in promoting Port Douglas Carnivale, a true celebration of our vibrant community and region.

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration as we work together to create meaningful opportunities for the Douglas region.

Emma