Fresh openings, as well as revitalised experiences and venues across the Gold Coast were lined up earlier this week ahead of This is Gold Coast’s (TIGC24) scheduled business appointments starting this morning, all to demonstrate the Australian destination’s continual transformation as a business events venue.
Event buyers from across Australia and New Zealand who arrived on Sunday and Monday had a chance to experience a breakfast event at InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort’s new beach club alongside high-energy stunts performed by JetPack Entertainment and Event over the property’s popular lagoon beach pool; play a round of friendly golf at the colourful ranges of Topgolf Gold Coast; explore the creative use of venues at the sprawling Home of the Arts through a breakfast showcase on the Outdoor Stage; and sail the scenic Gold Coast Broadwater on the stylish YOT Club catamaran while digging into lunch.
TIGC24 attendees were also split into three teams for a series of site inspections on Tuesday, covering venues such as QT Gold Coast, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, Sea World Marine Park, RACV Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast, and the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
Experience Gold Coast director of business events Brooke Campbell explained that the three inspection streams were a new feature for the This Is Gold Coast event. The format was established to ensure hotels and venues presented were aligned to the needs of different buyers.
One stream was built for small- and medium-sized associations, another was for conference organisers, and the third was for incentive event buyers.
“We will also always have a different programme for every year of This Is Gold Coast, and we always try to incorporate new products that entered the marketplace in the last 12 months,” added Campbell.
QT Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise now features refreshed guestrooms, and new and improved event venues, having completed renovations a year ago. A sweet summer beach house vibe envelops the hotel’s interior, with the barefoot luxury resort characteristic strongest in its collection of six designer qtQT Cabins on level two. The cabins encircle a fireplace and social area, created to bring friends and neighbours together.
According to the hotel’s events team, the qtQT Cabins are popular and require bookings far in advance. Corporate groups can book out all cabins for their VIPs and leverage the privacy of the area for exclusive gatherings.
The established Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast also showed off a refreshed look, thanks to investments into refurbishment works by its new owners, the Laundy and Karedis families. More cosmetic works will be carried out progressively, shared sales manager Lisa Thomas.
The hotel, said to be the largest beachfront resort in the destination with 295 keys, also recently signed on Encore as its creative event production partner. This allows Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast to support event clients with a range of advanced visual features and creative experience styling through Encore’s production expertise.
Speaking to TTGmice on the sidelines of a breakfast event at the Home of the Arts on Tuesday morning, Avril Harris, executive director of events, Experience Gold Coast, said the Gold Coast’s fun and creative offerings were a force to be reckoned with.
She said: “Can you find a better destination than the Gold Coast? This is one of our advantages. Whether you come here for a conference or a holiday, you get all the benefits of a holiday destination.”
“We have amazing hotels. In between meetings, attendees can go to the beach, explore the hinterland, and engage in a whole range of different tourism experiences in our city,” she continued.
According to Experience Gold Coast, there are currently 160 Gold Coast experiences for event delegates to choose from.
The TIGC24 Welcome Event was held at Kirra Beach House, an ocean-facing dining and event destination launched by SITE Hospitality last December.
Welcoming event delegates yesterday evening, Dave Galvin, managing director of SITE Hospitality, said the TIGC24 Welcome Event was the first exclusive mode activation for the space on the second floor. Named Coastal Room, the new event venue comes with indoor areas, and outdoor terraces that look out to the beach and ocean. It can accommodate up to 700 guests.
