Cairns Airport CEO joins TTNQ Board

North Queensland Airports Chief Executive Officer Norris Carter has been appointed a Director of the Tourism Tropical North Queensland Board at its meeting today in Cairns.

New General Directors Sam Ferguson and Craig Pocock were welcomed to the Board after their election at the Annual General Meeting on Friday (October 20).

Chair Max Shepherd stepped down at the end of his three-year term and the  Board confirmed the appointment of Director Wendy Morris as Chair. Cairns South Zone representative Ross Steele was re-elected Deputy Chair.

Ms Morris said Mr Carter's appointment would add a vital skillset to the Board through his extensive airline and airport industry experience with Qantas, Auckland Airport, Cairns and Mackay Airports.

"Aviation is the funnel for visitation to Tropical North Queensland and a key plank for economic success for the region," she said.

"If the TTNQ Board can understand the drivers and nuances of aviation, we can better align our destination marketing to ensure sustainable air routes."

Mr Carter said: "I'm looking forward to contributing to TTNQ as a Director to grow tourism into Tropical North Queensland."

Ms Morris thanked Mr Shepherd for his service to TTNQ which he had chosen to end during his 50th year of working in the tourism industry.

"Max has been a stalwart and mentor for many in tourism, myself included, with a canny ability to think business decisions through," she said.

"His steady hand on the wheel at world-class operations including Quicksilver and Skyrail has complemented brilliant marketing coups including President Bill Clinton's trip to the Great Barrier Reef and the Olympic torch's first swim underwater at Agincourt Reef.

"A humble man with a wry sense of humour, Max will be missed by every one of us, but we hope he continues to visit and make sure we're 'doing it right'."

A Tropical North Queensland resident of 1974 with a degree in marine biology, Ms Morris has previously served on the TTNQ Board as well as the Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree, Tourism and Events Queensland and Advance Cairns boards.

She founded Reef Biosearch in 1986, a marine biologist-guided snorkelling operation aboard Quicksilver that continues to operate today, and remains a passionate advocate for the Great Barrier Reef who is on the Board of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef.

Ms Morris been involved in the management and marketing of a range of mostly family owned tourism enterprises in the region including the resorts now known as Rydges Reef Resort, QT Port Douglas, Ramada Port Douglas and Crystalbrook Lodge, as well as The Wildlife Habitat, Wetherby Outback Experience, Lady Douglas Paddlewheeler and luxury charter yachts.

Also serving on the TTNQ Board are Tropical Tablelands/Remote Zone Director Ghislaine Gallo, General Director Russell Boswell, Cairns North Zone representative Sheena Walshaw, General Director Todd Parker, General Director Peter Woodward and Southern Zone Director Mark Evans.

TRC and Swoogo unite to create ShowSimple - DIY badge printing in a box

In continuous pursuit of the most seamless and satisfying experiences for event planners, TRC and Swoogo - best-in-craft service providers to the events industry for more than 15 years - have launched 'ShowSimple'.  It's DIY badge printing in a box.

TRC, already trusted to deliver stellar onsite event support for brands including Walmart, Ford, Shell and L'Oreal, spotted a gap in the market for great value badging services for smaller size events. Greg Lazzaro, Founder and President of TRC said, "We recognize that every event is different, and sometimes smaller is better!  ShowSimple delivers all the great TRC magic, in a box to your door".

The real magic though, comes from the integration with Swoogo - the next-generation event registration company making waves in the industry with their mobile responsive, fully flexible platform loved by the likes of Inc., Fast Company and Schneider Group.  Customers of Swoogo need only enter a few details about the badges they want, within the Swoogo portal, and order directly for delivery onsite.

It's a partnership through and through, says Swoogo founder and CEO, Leonora Valvo, "Our customers asked for it, and TRC delivered it.  Our teams worked in concert to design the product and I'm delighted with the results".

ShowSimple includes two barcode scanning stations, a full color printer, the customer's choice of badges, lanyards and even self-contained router with internet access.  It's simple, but it's not hands-off - ShowSimple customers work with a specialist 'virtual badge advisor' and product manager to be confident of a quality experience.

TRC and Swoogo (along with their fellow best-in-craft event partners in The Event Tech Tribe) will be at IMEX Las Vegas 10-12th October to launch ShowSimple (booth G659) and are hosting their user conference/innovation forum "Unite" (open to non-Tribe customers) in San Francisco on 16th October.  

White Christmas in Estonia

Destination: Tallinn, Estonia

Why go: What better time to visit the home of the first Christmas tree? The medieval Old Town also takes on a magical quality with snow-covered rooftops.

What awaits: Mulled wine, traditional Estonian food, knitwear and Christmas trees galore at the famous Christmas Market in the Old Town Square. Skaters whizzing around the Old Town's outdoor ice rink as candles fill cobblestone lanes with their flickering glow. Try a genuine Estonian Christmas dinner of jellied meat, beetroot salad, herring, roast potatoes and pork, washed down with dark porter beer. Spend an active day at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, which offers snowtubing, iceskating and mountain skiing close to the city centre.

Getting there: It is a two-stop trip to Estonia from all major Australian cities.

Rachel's top tip: "Make a wish under the huge Christmas tree in Old Town Square. Spruce growers throughout Estonia compete each year to have their tree chosen as the Christmas tree of Tallinn."

 

Go stay in your own private treehouse

TULUM TREEHOUSE — Tulum, Mexico

Nestled among a swaying sea of lush emerald palms, Tulum Treehouse is a full-service private home located a stone's throw from the heart of Tulum—yet it is a fortuitous jungle setting near the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve that sets this experience apart. Here, a sublime private house can be rented with only the three bedrooms, or as a five-bedroom accommodation. Created by local craftspeople in collaboration with an international design crew, the team collectively put sustainability above all. 

The Tulum-based, full-service architecture studio Co-Lab Design Office and interior designer and stylist Annabell Kutucu have taken the natural beauty of the Yucatán as primary inspiration, conscious not only to preserve and protect the biodynamically rich environment, but to also create a stay deeply connected to the natural world. Large common areas, several spacious wrap-around terraces, multiple spaces for indoor-outdoor living, and five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms make up this exclusive, full-service jungle escape.

Excitement builds as Winx prepares to make Flemington debut on Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day

With the AFL Grand Final signalling a close to the football season, sporting fans will now turn their focus trackside for Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington, where the World's Best Horse on Turf in Winx will make her debut at Australia's premier racetrack.

This Saturday, 7 October 2017, will see Winx shoot for her 21st consecutive victory in the $500,000 Group 1 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m), where Melburnians will get the opportunity to witness arguably the best horse since Black Caviar to race at Flemington.

Winx, who is stabled at trainer Chris Waller's Flemington facility while in Melbourne, will continue her build up towards the Seppelt Turnbull Stakes with her final gallop on Thursday. Media will be able to capture vision of the super mare on the Flemington course proper at 6.30am on Thursday 5 October before hearing from trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman at 7.00am.

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) is preparing additional facilities at Flemington for all racegoers to enjoy Winx on Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, with the course being bolstered by additional screens, food and beverage outlets and Winx merchandise to ensure all racegoers can be in the moment with Winx.

All profits from merchandise will go to the National Jockeys Trust, as well as proceeds from the auction of signed saddlecloths from the Seppelt Turnbull Stakes, including Winx's saddlecloth.

Members can get up close and personal with the wonder mare from the Members' Lawn, or watch the action from a range of venues including The Forum, The Atrium and The Peak. General Admission areas will also be expanded, with the James Boag's Premium Celebration Deck featuring entertainment from the Emerson Duo and the James Boag's Premium Lawn Bar presenting the perfect space for racegoers to relax and revel in the action with a drink and live music by The Mad Hatters.

Children and their families can get into the spirit of Winx with Winx-themed hobby horse racing, silks and face painting. Other exciting free activities in the Kids' Zone include yard games such as giant chess, croquet, jenga, lawn bowls, bocce, mini-golf and pony rides.

General admission precinct Saintly Place will hold extra significance on Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, as it will be the first time the public can view the entire trophy collection bequeathed to the VRC by Cups King Bart Cummings.

The Bart Cummings Trophy Collection will be unveiled to media and special guests at 11am on Thursday 5 October, with 149 trophies to be on public display from Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day onwards. Anthony Cummings, James Cummings and Les Carlyon AC will be among those to speak at the event as they recall their memories of the Cups King and reflect on the importance of the collection in Australian sporting history

Gates open at 11:20am on Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, with the first of nine races set to jump at 12:50pm. Other notable races include The Bart Cummings (2500m), a Group 3 event which offers the winner a ticket into the 2017 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Metro trains will run special services to and from Flemington for Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, with trains departing Southern Cross Station between 10:59am and 1:39pm and return services departing Flemington between 4:55pm and 7:20pm.

Tickets to Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day are available from Ticketek. Children under 16 are FREE when accompanied by an adult.

For more information head to Flemington.com.au.

@FlemingtonVRC   #TurnbullStakes   #GoWinx