EO Update, 13 August 25

Executive Officer Message

There’s been plenty happening at TPDD, with highlights across industry networking, destination events, media coverage, successful campaign results, and planning for the months ahead. We're also delighted to welcome Maura Mancini who joins us as Marketing Administration Assistant.

We congratulate Reina and Spencer Patrick and everyone involved, on the incredible success of Taste Port Douglas! Bringing together world-class chefs, passionate producers, and food lovers, the festival’s electric atmosphere once again proved why Port Douglas is one of Australia’s premier destinations. This event is a powerful example of what festivals can deliver for our region - showcasing our vibrant food and dining scene in a highly aspirational way, driving visitation, and amplifying destination awareness.

Over weekend of Taste Port Douglas TPDD welcomed Nine News Queensland to Port Douglas for two prime-time features. The first story aired on Sunday evening and shared a powerful story of resilience and recovery. With Taste as the backdrop, the feature highlighted our world-class experiences and passionate operators, addressing misconceptions about distant weather events and reinforcing that Port Douglas and the Daintree are open, thriving, and ready to welcome visitors. The second feature will air in the next week and will explore how Port Douglas is uniquely positioned to capitalise on marine tourism growth - with the right development, including the introduction of a marine industry for vessel maintenance, repair, and servicing.

Last week, we held our Board Meeting at the Daintree Discovery Centre, followed by a TPDD member networking evening at Cape Tribulation Camping. It was a pleasure to connect with our Daintree and Cape Tribulation members, hear how strongly the season is tracking, and share updates on TPDD’s progress and plans ahead.

Early this week, I also joined ABC Far North to discuss workers’ accommodation in the region, an important issue for our industry as we plan ahead for peak seasons.

Following a media call I participated in this week with 7 Cairns, we’re also thrilled to be welcoming Run Port Douglas to join the Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival in just four weeks! Early registrations have exceeded expectations and with the continued boom in destination running events and a spectacular course, it’s one more reason for southern visitors to pack their runners and discover why Spring is Even Better Up Here.

Looking ahead, TPDD will represent the destination at key trade shows over the coming weeks, including TTNQ's Tropical Showcase on behalf of Business Events Port Douglas (BEPD), Australia Marketplace North America and Queensland is Calling UK & Europe.

We’re also excited to welcome Heat Wave LGBTQIA+ Festival! This new event will bring a burst of colour and energy to Port Douglas from 13–15 February 2026, driving visitation over a traditionally quiet time and celebrating the vibrancy of our incredible region.

A reminder for our Platinum Members that we’ll gather for our Roundtable Update & Discussion on Wednesday, 20 August | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM at the Sheraton Grand Mirage. This will be a great opportunity to connect, hear about our strategic direction and 2025-26 marketing plan, and share updates from across the industry over morning tea.

We’re delighted to see a rise in new membership enquiries, helping us expand our vital destination marketing efforts. We encourage all tourism-related businesses to join us - it’s our collective effort that truly makes the difference. Thank you, as always, for your support.

Emma