Experience Gold Coast has launched a new support programme targeting Southeast Asia, with significant funding incentives available.
Revealed to TTGmice at Australia Next 2025 in Melbourne on Tuesday (December 2), the initiative is a strategic bid to drive international incentive and corporate group demand, while testing the market for feedback.
Under the scheme, eligible groups of 70 to 250 delegates staying a minimum of two nights can access up to A$70 (US$46.30) per delegate, with travel to be completed by 30 June 2027. Bookings must be made through approved accommodation and experience partners.
The new programme was prompted by a marked uptick in demand from Asia for small to medium incentives, a segment that appears to be aligning with the Gold Coast’s expanding portfolio of five-star hotels and distinctive experiences.
“This size really suits our region,” Brooke Campbell, director of business events at Experience Gold Coast, told TTGmice.
“We’re seeing a lot of pickup at the moment from China, Taiwan and India, and they are smaller groups. So we have tweaked our criteria with funding just to see if this is the market we need.”
Beyond attracting new incentive business, the strategy is aimed at gathering vital data that has historically been missing from the incentive sector. Campbell said groups will be required to submit post-event reports detailing delegate movement, key decision drivers and programme highlights, where insights will help refine future positioning and products.
New products in the Gold Coast include the beachfront Mondrian, while Hyatt’s Andaz is set to debut next year; both five-star firsts for Australia. The Ritz Carlton is also under construction with a likely opening in late 2026.
Unique experiences like the Japanese-inspired Soul Elements bathhouse in the hinterland cater to the growing interest in wellness, while Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s Astra Lumina, a light activation available only in the Southern Hemisphere, offers memorable evening activities.
Experience Gold Coast is planning to amplify promotion of this programme at AIME next year, and also target more delegates from Asia Pacific for participation in its signature This is Gold Coast showcase.
Campbell emphasised that with 160 experiences, the Gold Coast is well-equipped to deliver a complete experience, rather than just be the second supplementary stop.
“Our destination has changed significantly over the past five years. The message I want Asia-Pacific incentive planners to hear is simple: if it can be imagined, it can happen on the Gold Coast,” she said.
