Top Ten Story Ideas
May / June 2012
NEW PRODUCTS
1. NEW LEVELS OF SOPHISTICATION IN AIRLIE BEACH
Holiday makers are invited to enjoy a new level of luxury in the Whitsundays, with iconic resort Coral Sea Resort opening the doors on a $2m, 18 month refreshment this month.
One of the region’s most iconic resorts, and the only absolute waterfront resort in Airlie Beach on the Whitsunday Coast, Coral Sea Resort’s nautically inspired refreshment encompasses all guest rooms, guest areas, the exterior of the resort and the award winning Clipper Restaurant.
General Manager Greg Waites said he was pleased to present a new level of sophistication for travellers to Airlie Beach.
“At Coral Sea Resort our mantra is excellence in all areas, and the refreshment of the resort reflects excellence in interior and spatial design to complement the resort’s unparalleled location,” Mr Waites said.
“We believe that now more than ever, with competition from cheap overseas destinations, travellers are still looking for the highest quality in resort accommodation in aspirational destinations close to home like the Whitsundays, and that is why we have made such an investment in the resort,” he said.
“Coral Sea Resort is a spectacular destination for a romantic getaway or wedding, with spa baths and hammocks on the balconies of our Coral Sea Spa Suites, and romantic waterfront dining in Clipper Restaurant or in a private pavilion under the palms overlooking the Coral Sea.”
To celebrate, Coral Sea Resort is offering a romantic mid week escape from $199 per person for a Bayview Suite for 2 people for a 2 night getaway until July 31. Chocolate dipped strawberries and chilled bubbly will welcome you on arrival and a $120 restaurant voucher will also be included with full cooked breakfast each morning. Special upgrades to Coral Sea Suites also available.
For more information about the resort, visit www.coralsearesort.com or call 1800075061
2. NEW GUIDED JET SKI TOUR
Whitsunday Jetski Tours, winner of the 2011 Whitsunday Tourism Awards New Tourism Development, is an innovative new adventure tour operator providing a unique experience for guests visiting the Whitsundays. Offering the first and only guided jetski tours from Airlie Beach to the Whitsunday Islands, guests can enjoy riding their own Sea-Doo jetski into the world heritage Whitsunday Island Marine Park. The company’s growing success has already seen them increase their fleet from four jetskis up to seven jetskis, allowing them to carry up to 14 guests per tour.Whitsunday Jetski Tours offer the option of a soft adventure tour around Pioneer Bay or the thrill of jet skiing across to Daydream and the surrounding islands, allowing for tours to operate in most weather conditions. The morning ‘Airlie Adventure’ explores beautiful Pioneer Bay and Airlie Beach through natural and manmade wonderlands, with sea turtle encounters guaranteed on almost every trip and occasional dugong sightings. 1.5 hours; 30km of jetskiing. The ‘Daydream Extreme’ is for the more adventurous with open water jetskiing experiencing the Whitsundays’ offshore islands. The afternoon tour offers action packed jetskiing, as well as a deserted island stopover, lunch and activities at Daydream Island Resort and Spa. 4 hours; 50km of jetskiing. The two half day tours operate daily in most weather conditions and no licence or experience is necessary.
www.jetskitour.com.au
3. NEW LOOK AFFORDABLE WHITSUNDAYS
Long Island Resort and Club Crocodile Airlie Beach are starting the 2012 Whitsundays holiday season with a fresh new look and specials to celebrate. The properties lead the affordable 3.5 star market in the Whitsundays with a choice of resort accommodation on an island or convenient accommodation at Airlie Beach.
Long Island Resort’s $450,000 facelift includes a complete refurbishment of the restaurant, new modern bathrooms, plus upgrades to the foyer, water sports building, public area facilities, tennis and basketball courts and revamp of the gardens. The upgrade adds to Long Island Resort’s laidback casual atmosphere where holiday makers come to enjoy the beautiful natural surrounds.Long Island Resort is the only Whitsundays property offering a free kid’s club with fun activities including treasure hunts, bird and fish feeding as well as arts and crafts, plus children under 14 stay and eat for free when sharing with two adults and using existing bedding.
At Club Crocodile Airlie Beach bedding is being replaced with new linen, blankets and bed runners, all the tables and chairs in the restaurant and bar area have been upgraded and the pool has new sun lounges and umbrellas.
Club Crocodile Airlie Beach is perfectly positioned as an affordable stepping stone to the Whitsunday islands and the Great Barrier Reef. The classic Queenslander style resort has 50 metres of free-form swimming pool, spa and waterfalls and is in a quiet location at Airlie Beach.
SPECIALS THAT MEDIA CAN PUBLISH:
Long Island Resort: Stay 3 nights, save 30%. From $161 per night in a Garden View room. Includes Kids stay, play and eat for free.
Club Crocodile Airlie Beach: Stay 3 nights, save 20%. From $96 per night in a standard room.
Specials are valid for travel until March 31, 2013.
STORY ANGLES
4. YOUNG ACHIEVER
At just 12-years-old Teggun Orth is one of the youngest PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) junior open water divers in Queensland and has more than 20 dives under her belt.The Whitsunday girl took her first dive course at age 10 as part of the bubble maker program with PADI before joining the seal team at age 11. On her 12th birthday Teggun was given the chance to become a certified diver, an opportunity she jumped at.
"I love the people I meet and the different things I get to see," she says.
Teggun is currently doing work experience with Mantaray Charters and Whitsunday Dive Adventures in exchange for dives and has set her sights on becoming the youngest dive course director.
"I'd love to become a skipper on a boat too," she said.
"I'd like to travel as a diver, but I'd also love to stay and keep diving here in the Whitsundays."
Business owners Katrina and Mike Daley said it is important for people to take up diving not only from a sport or recreational point of view, but as a career opportunity.
"The more we can promote our marine industries as a career option, the better it will be for the region," Mr Daley said.
"For someone like Teggun, doing volunteer work introduces her to the marine industry and gives her more opportunities relative to the marine and hospitality industry."Children can complete a scuba dive lesson from age 8.
Photo credit: Whitsunday Times.
5. INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE
To experience the Whitsundays on a journey over land and sea, as the native Aboriginals did, the Whitsundays Ngaro Sea Trail is the perfect option. The Sea Trail is one of Queensland’s ‘Great Walks’ and the first to combine land and water elements. Named after the traditional owners of the Whitsundays, the Ngaro people, this walk allows visitors to follow in the indigenous peoples’ footsteps and experience a remarkable journey on Hook, Whitsunday and South Molle Islands. Visitors can travel by commercial boat, sailing vessel or canoe and trails range from short and easy to long and challenging.
6. VOLUNTOURISM
Local environmental crusaders Eco Barge Clean Seas run a marine debris removal program to remove unwanted waste from Whitsundays beaches and islands. Local volunteers join travellers, backpackers and other volunteers on trips out to the islands on the small barge to remove marine debris cluttering the beaches and threatening local marine life. Since July 2009, 60,443kg has been collected. Over 40 beaches are known to accumulate marine debris within the Whitsunday islands from a range of sources on and off the water. Libby Edge is the founding chair of Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc and is dedicated to removing plastics in our oceans and shorelines. They are always looking for volunteers to offer their time to be part of the clean up and of course enjoy a free trip around the Whitsunday Islands at the same time.
www.ecobargecleanseas.org.au
7. DESTINATION: FOOD
The food and wine culture of the Whitsundays has rapidly matured to offer a huge range of sophisticated, fresh and innovative dining experiences. It’s no longer pub meals in backpacker bars, there are a range of indulgent and delectable dining options to enjoy. One such restaurant, Capers on the Esplanade, is leading the charge to promote local produce, having introduced a ‘Localvore’ menu, featuring 100% of it’s ingredients sourced from within 100km of the restaurant. The menu is linked with a monthly ‘Localvore’ farm tour throughout the region where travellers can pick the lettuce they will eat in the restaurant that night and visit the pig farm where local bacon is sourced.
Beautiful Bowen, the northern-most town centre in the Whitsundays region, is Queensland’s salad bowl, with a wide range of fresh produce on Australia’s dinner plates coming from the region. Bowen produces almost 80% of the country’s tomato supply, and is of course famous for it’s mangoes. With such a range of fresh local ingredients available, resorts and restaurants are offering a huge range of fresh, locally sourced and inspired creations.
8. TIPS FROM THE LOCALS
Everyone always wants an insider’s tip for their holiday – so here are some top tips from the Whitsundays locals...
• For great food at really affordable prices, you simply cannot go past Beach Plaza with it’s range of Indian, Asian, Italian, sushi and modern Australian, and friends can eat from wherever they like but still sit at the one table!
• Locals love to party at Paddy’s Shenanigan’s Bar. The locals are relaxed, friendly people who enjoy meeting new people, and they like live music they can dance away the night to.
• The Airlie foreshore is always a hive of activity that locals enjoy. The Saturday morning markets are constantly evolving, and the fresh fruit and veg are great. Sunday afternoons there is always live music on the foreshore and you can sit and enjoy a meal and the music, or grab a picnic blanket and some cheese and biscuits and sit on the beach, watch the sunset and enjoy live music! There are free BBQs on the beach to really make a night of it.
• You don’t have to be staying at an island resort to enjoy island resort facilities. Two local boat companies (Fantasea Adventure Cruising and Cruise Whitsundays) do multi-island ferry trips within one day. You can visit the islands and enjoy the experience and still come back to accommodation on the mainland.
• During wet season, an absolute must visit is Cedar Creek Falls (photo, at right). The stunning natural waterfall has a year round swimming hole and it’s a great place to take a picnic and a swim.
9. TID BITS OF JUICY GOSSIP: STARS SPOTTED!
Slash from Guns and Roses at the Great Barrier Reef and Danni Minogue for ModelCo at Hayman.
Lindeman Sale
The Whitsundays’ Lindeman Island has been sold for $12 million to Chinese investors. Advertising group White Horse Holdings purchased it after the resort was closed by Club Med in January.
Paradise Bay continues to trade
Popular eco-friendly resort Paradise Bay Eco Escape located on Long Island continues to operate while under receivership. Guests are still being welcomed to the luxury eco resort and enjoying plush accommodation, delectable meals and daily skippered sailing trips. www.paradisebay.com.au
New holiday home website
Hamilton Island Holiday Homes (HIHH), which manages over 100 properties on the Island, has launched an enhanced website www.hihh.com.au to cater for the 20 percent increase in bookings from guests seeking self-catering accommodation from one to four bedrooms as well as luxury residences, which includes the exclusive Yacht Club Villas. The website has added a dedicated section for luxury properties following an increase in demand in this premium category.
New premium palm bungalows
Hamilton Island has opened the first phase of its newly refurbished Premium Palm Bungalows, providing a luxurious yet affordable romantic or family getaway. Currently undergoing a $4 million refurbishment, the Premium Palm Bungalows offers guests the option of a little more luxury whilst retaining the relaxed simplicity of a ‘back to nature’ private retreat. Thirty percent of the Palm Bungalows have been refurbished and are now available to guests as ‘Premium Palm Bungalows’ with 60 percent to be completed by the spring and the remainder in 2013.
New management at Blue Horizon Resort
Airlie Beach based hotel management company ‘at Hotel Group’ has expanded its portfolio, signing contracts on the management rights of Blue Horizon Resort Apartments.
at Hotel Group Managing Director Jeff Aquilina said despite times being tough, his group’s continued investment in destination and hotel marketing had ensured the success of his existing portfolio, allowing for the expansion. Blue Horizon Resort Apartments joins at Water’s Edge Resort, at Marina Shores Resort, at Waterfront Whitsunday Retreat and at Whitsunday Vista Resort in the at Hotel Group portfolio.
Fashion boutique expands
Airlie’s premier fashion boutique, PAYA, on the shores of Shingley Beach, has expanded it’s store to double its size and features more homewares, jewellery and handbags to complete the already fabulous and extensive range of high fashion labels in stock.
10. JOIN THE GREAT WHITSUNDAY FUN RACE 2012
One of the special qualities of Airlie Beach is the party atmosphere of the town and one the highlights of their event calendar is the Great Whitsunday Fun Race. Hosted by the Whitsunday Sailing Club, this year the race has been moved to the 18 August, the weekend after Airlie Beach Race Week, to continue the fun and give visiting yachties another excuse to stay on in town and party. Not only is it a great day of racing but the after-party has created some legendary stories of its own!
The original aim of this race was to market Airlie Beach as the “Mecca” for visiting yachts. The first race, in 1977, attracted 69 yachts out of a fleet of 98, including dinghies! The Fun Race has now become a favourite on the sailing calendar and traditions established include decorating decks and costumed crew, the “Miss Figurehead” contest and the major trophy, an empty bottle of Mount Gay Rum mounted on a block of Mackay Cedar.
People can join in the race in all manner of sailing vessel or just come out on a spectator craft to enjoy the day. After the racing, join in the fantastic party on the shores of Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Sailing Club. Live bands, heaps of prizes, fun competitions and a wonderful atmosphere of mateship combine to make it a memorable day on and off the water.
Join in the regatta atmosphere of Airlie Beach Race Week and the Great Whitsunday Fun Race and create some ‘tall’ stories of your own for 2012!
Airlie Beach Race Week 9-16 August 2012
Great Whitsunday Fun Race: Saturday 18 August 2012
Photo credit: Corrie Gardner.
JUST WANT HOT DEALS?
There’s always a good deal on offer for a Whitsundays holiday for you to publish - go to www.facebook.com/WhitsundaysQLD - the Hot Deals App has all the latest deals available that can be used throughout national media if you are looking for a deal in our region.
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Simply contact Danielle Seymour, Marketing Services Manager, for further information on any of these story ideas.
Danielle Seymour
Marketing Services Manager
1/5 Carlo Drive
Cannonvale QLD 4802
Phone: +61 7 4948 5904 Mobile: +61 (0)417 765 736
Email: communications@tourismwhitsundays.com.au
Most tourism operators in the Whitsundays are eager to host media famils to the region to showcase their products. Please contact Danielle Seymour if you would like to register your interest to visit the region on a famil.
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