Interview with Rob Giason & David Rose


Rob Giason and David Rose are the CEO and Director of Marketing for Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ), respectively. They share with us their views on the changing trends of global tourism, the natural beauty of Tropical North Queensland and the joy of “changing your latitude.” Is this your first visit to India and what has your experience been so far? Rob Giason (RG): This is my second trip to India. The first trip was part of Queensland Onstage which was shared with another 25 Queensland operators from the Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef region.

It was a tremendous experience in talking to the agents and operators and seeing the enthusiasm that they have for our destination. That was very encouragingThe second trip is building on some of the relationships that we have made in the past and also as a strategic overview to see how we can work with carriers and operators to maximise the opportunity that is available in India over a period of time. David Rose (DR): This is my first visit to India and what struck me the most was the overwhelming friendliness of everyone you encounter. It is a place where you feel enormously at home because everybody you meet goes out of their way to be hospitable. How long have you been associated with Tropical Tourism North Queensland? RG: I have been associated with Tropical Tourism North Queensland (TTNQ) for 3 years. As CEO, my role is to be in charge of strategic operations and ensure that the strategic marketing of the destination is managed and given direction. We have priority markets that we work in. I manage a team of 30 staff and also ensure that our partnerships with airlines and other tourism organisations such as Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia are maintained at the highest possible level. DR: I will soon be completing 2 years at TTNQ. It has been very enjoyable. We are living in a changing world. We are seeing a change in the pattern of visitation. We are seeing more and more visitors from countries which we were once calling emerging markets. Perhaps we should stop calling them as such because they seem to have definitely emerged onto the global scene. These markets include India, China and Korea. At the same time, we are seeing less growth from established markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and of course Japan, which for a long time was our single largest international source market for holiday visitors. The number of holiday visitors from India to our region grew by 35% last year. That makes it our second fastest growing international source market and it is very important for us to maintain this trend.

What are the major cities and destinations of Tropical North Queensland and how many days would a visitor require to fully experience North Queensland? RG: The Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) area covers a very extensive area, of which Cairns is the capital. It is the key centre and particularly for the Indian market, it is the most visited centre. There is a desire to promote other destinations such as honeymoons in Palm Cove, which is north of Cairns, and to Port Douglas. We hope to expand the opportunities in the future, but certainly Cairns is the major focus at this time. DR: We would say a visitor would require as many days as possible to fully experience TNQ. It is, however, important to realize that Cairns is in Tropical North Queensland, but it is not the entire Tropical North Queensland. As Mumbai does not completely represent India and London does not completely represent the UK, there is much more to experience in North Queensland beyond Cairns. Our British and North American visitors will stay 10 to 14 nights to really get a good feel for all the region has to offer. At the moment, visitors from India stay 3 to 4 nights, but that figure is actually growing. We saw an 18% increase in average length of stay amongst Indian visitors last year. In addition to receiving more visitors from India, they are actually staying longer and spending more money as well. They are obviously finding plenty to experience and I believe many of them leave TNQ feeling that they ought to have had more time in their itinerary for a visit to our part of Australia.

What has been the market growth to the area in recent years? RG: We host just over a third of all Indian visitors to Australia. We have had great growth off a small base. We are very proud of that. But nonetheless, the importance of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef as part of the Australian package is critical. We also look forward to growing our popularity not only as a leisure destination, but also as an education destination, particularly with James Cook University attracting more students to the area. From India, the two main destinations for business travellers are Sydney and the Gold Coast. What is the potential for MICE markets in North Queensland, particularly since incentive tours are growing in a big way? RG: Cairns currently host a large number of international delegates. In fact, we are third in Australia for the hosting of international delegates after Sydney and Melbourne. We have had some large incentive groups from Japan and Korea. Incentive opportunities in India are very important to us and we believe, as we develop our relationships and also the opportunities to encourage more companies to look at Cairns, our product is second to none.

Tell us about the Change Your Latitude campaign? RG: The issue of this campaign is that the brand of Tropical North Queensland is all about promoting a tropical destination in a first-world country. Our exotic tropical destination includes wildlife, the Great Barrier Reef and a World Heritage rainforest. We have 2 iconic World Heritage Sites with the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. The mission of our brand is to be Australia's natural tropical paradise. That is the focus of the campaign. Change Your Latitude is trying to encourage people throughout the world and from all walks of life to change their regular routine for a period of time to a new space. It is also encouraging them to define a more relaxing and more exotic location to remedy the drudgeries of life that people may have. It is really about shifting your space from the work and home environments to a holiday and leisure environment.

How much is the passenger traffic to Tropical North Queensland? RG: TNQ receives 2.3 million visitors annually, of which 850000 are international visitors. There are about 11000 visitors from India and we are striving to see this figure grow. We are in India today primarily to gauge the opportunities and potential for growth. We are confident that we will continue to grow as Australia continues to grow as a destination.

The tourism potential of Tropical North Queensland depends heavily on its natural surroundings. What are your views on eco-tourism and the tourism industry's effect on the environment and what is Tropical North Queensland's policy on the same? RG: The importance of understanding the environment is engrained into the psyche of the TNQ tourism industry. We are very aware of the important role we play in hosting 2.3 million visitors and informing and interpreting for them the Great Barrier Reef and the magnificent rainforest. We are also an industry that works very closely with the government. We are world-class with respect to the way we have embraced regulations and requirements to protect and maintain the environment. As an organisation, we have been audited for carbon credits. We have also developed a programme called Planet Safe Partnership (www.planetsafepartnership.com), which highlights all members who are fully accredited to provide the services to the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. These accreditations are at the highest standard. We also have the only fully-accredited Green Globe recipient in Australia in our Skyrail Rainforest Cableway based in Cairns. We are very proud of where we live. We are very proud of working closely with the authorities that provide guidance, especially scientific guidance. We have more scientists reviewing the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef than anywhere else in the world. Our credentials are impeccable and we believe we are world leaders with respect to tourism in natural areas.

Which is the best season to visit Tropical North Queensland? RG: We focus on 12 major international markets and each of those markets has different weather patterns. We believe we are a year-round destination. We find that the Indian market is generated predominantly from February to June. But of course, we as a destination welcome visitors throughout 12 months of the year and the seasonal variances provide different experiences for our visitors as well.

Adventure tourism is a popular segment of the industry. What are the opportunities for the same in Tropical North Queensland? RG: With the nature-based activities available throughout Tropical North Queensland, we believe we are Australia's adventure capital. We have jungle surfing, white-water rafting, kayaking and bungee jumping in rain forests. You can skydive. You can windsurf. You can scuba dive. You can take a hot air balloon ride. There is no limit to the type of nature-based activities you can partake in. We also offer soft-adventure activities such hiking.

What opportunities are there in North Queensland for the different types of traveller; for example, families or honeymooners ? RG: For the honeymoon segment, we are truly blessed. We have so many exquisite resorts and spas. Our climate and idyllic surroundings provide an excellent backdrop for honeymooners who like to spend their time exploring but also maintaining their privacy. The honeymoon market is very important to us and our infrastructure is very well suited for that. Also, because of the heightened awareness of nature-based activities, we have a vast selection of activities for the family market. While there are countless theme parks throughout the world, we are “Nature's Theme Park.” Families are very attracted to these kinds of activities.

How aware is the Indian community of the tourism opportunities in North Queensland? RG: It would be naïve to suggest that all Indians are well-versed in what Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef have to offer. I do believe, however, that because of the iconic stature of the reef and the rainforest all people who are students of the world do understand the significance of these destinations. It is also a matter of working with wholesalers, tour operators, airlines and other partners to have their support in creating the awareness through the attractions we offer. It also depends on sponsorships of familiarization tours for tour operators and others who can communicate to a wider audience to allow them to experience the attractions for themselves. We look forward to hosting more such events because the job of creating awareness is never finished. In the stream of travellers from India, Australia does not attract a great number of them at this stage and the opportunity for us to grow is enormous. We just need to get the message out.

What is your favourite destination in North Queensland? RG: In North Queensland, my favourite destination would be anywhere I can practice my jungle surfing. I also enjoy diving. These are mind-blowing and life-enhancing experiences, which change you as a person. They are all about “changing your latitude.” Tropical North Queensland certainly provides many such opportunities.

You have worked as a Regional Correspondent for BBC Radio and as a Public Affairs Officer for the Royal Air Force. What led you to a career in tourism marketing? DR: I am absolutely fascinated by this industry. No two days are ever the same. Tourism is an industry that is never static. There are always new challenges and new opportunities. More importantly, the people in the industry are generally very positive. They are in an industry which specialises in making dreams come true. Not many jobs result in that sort of satisfaction. I have been in the tourism industry for 20 years and I can honestly say that the love of my life is definitely travelling. My first visit to India has been long overdue and it is my job that has enabled me to do that. I believe all of us who work in the travel and tourism industry are fantastically fortunate. We may not earn as much as other professionals, but we definitely have a lot more fun.

Lastly, what is your message to readers? DR: There are very few places on this planet which are 'must see.' I have been fortunate on this trip to see the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort, which are those kinds of places. The Great Barrier Reef is also a 'must see' destination. It is the single largest living organism and it is the only living organism that can be seen from the moon. You cannot spend a lifetime without experiencing the greatest natural wonder that exists on this planet.