BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort will soon have a brand new multi-purpose Queensland conference venue facility after receiving a grant through the Tourism Industry Regional Development Fund (TIRF) The recent approval of a $250,000 grant will enable the award-winning resort to enhance their current Airlie Beach accommodation and event venue and build a new facility with multiple spaces for meetings, functions and conferences catering for 30 to 100 guests.
Coming on top of winning the Queensland and Australian Tourism Awards for best “Tourist and Caravan Park” the McKinnon family is thrilled to be given this opportunity to develop their facility and improve the Airlie Beach accommodation options and contribute to the overall growth of the tourism industry in the Whitsunday region.
Greg McKinnon said “we are extremely excited that this grant will enable us to move quickly and develop something that was just at conceptual stage. Having received the only grant in the Whitsunday region we are keen to get the project underway and maximise the potential of the Business Events offering for the Whitsundays. The development is very much in line with our future marketing strategy and complements the markets we are already targeting.”
The Hon Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism said the Australian Government is supporting 65 projects with $13.1 million in funding under the first round of the TIRF Grants Program. The purpose of the program is to encourage the development of innovative projects and improve the quality of accommodation and attractions in regional areas. These projects will assist the tourism industry in achieving its Tourism 2020 growth target of $140 billion in overnight expenditure by the end of this decade.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday currently caters for small conferences, events and retreats for up to 50 people and the new facility, which is projected to be completed by December 2013, will improve the offering and increase capacity. Landscaped gardens will provide further space for team building and break-out meetings with enough room to really think outside the box.
Adventure Whitsunday accommodation ranges from open plan Deluxe Ensuite Cabins through to Luxury Three Bedroom Condos and suits a variety of budgets. Conference delegates have the space to walk around the gardens, engage in a variety of sporting activities, bring family members if appropriate and really enjoy the relaxed lifestyle of the Whitsundays. The resort’s ambience is pure Whitsundays: lush, tropical and fun, while the real warmth comes from the staff. With a dedicated Event Manager and professional support team, the resort specialises in catering to individual conference needs and can organise anything from tours and team-building activities to a cocktail party or a formal sit-down dinner under the stars. Adventure Whitsunday staff are renowned for their can-do attitude and flexibility in catering for their guests.
Airlie Beach is an ideal conference location with easy access from east coast cities via Hamilton Island, Whitsunday Coast or Mackay airports. It is also within driving distance from the Bowen and Galilee Basins, Mackay and Townsville. For those who want to venture outside the resort, it is the main jumping off point for tours to the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday islands and a vast array of cruises, sailing and water based activities. For more information go to www.adventurewhitsunday.com.au/business or email [email protected].
RELEASE ENDS
23 March 2013
For further information or images please contact:
Corrie Gardner at Telltale Communications on 0422 617 442 or email [email protected]