Driven by strong interest from China and Korea, Cairns is experiencing a boom in Asian incentive business, strengthening its reputation as a leading destination for corporate groups.
“The uptake of incentive groups coming out of Asia has been quicker compared to other countries,” Tara Bennett, general manager, partnership & events at Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ), told TTGmice at the recently-concluded AIME 2025.
Cairns recently welcomed several Chinese incentive groups, and Amway Korea is gearing up to bring about 2,700 delegates in waves of 250 delegates each this November.
“The reason we’re seeing great interest in incentives is that we have a wealth of nature-based experiences. Being home to two World Heritage-listed areas in the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Forest means that we have an abundance of experiences for incentive programmes to engage and reward people for their performance,” Bennett said.
She also noted shorter lead times for bookings, particularly among Chinese groups, some of which are reserving just a month or two in advance.
The surge in interest is supported by improved accessibility, with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific providing vital connections.
Beyond China and Korea, Cairns is also capturing the attention of Indian incentive groups, with the recent surge in new inquiries.
To foster this growth, TTNQ is deploying targeted marketing and publicity efforts to share Cairns’ story.
“We understand that Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef isn’t known by everyone, so there’s a big need for education there,” said Bennett.
TTNQ will be present at Business Events Australia’s China Showcase next month, with plans to expand outreach in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Bennett also revealed that last year’s Australia Next event, which was hosted in Cairns, helped secure 18 pieces of business for the destination, collectively valued at nearly A$5 million (US$3.1 million).
