Tourism Whitsundays and Zhik Partner

Tourism Whitsundays and Zhik Partner to Cement The Whitsundays as Australia's Home of Sailing

MEDIA RELEASE - 07 APRIL 2026

Tourism Whitsundays has announced a corporate sponsorship partnership with Zhik, the globally renowned water sports apparel brand, in a move designed to solidify The Whitsundays as the home of Australian sailing.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for Tourism Whitsundays, aligning the destination with one of the world's most respected names in water sports innovation. Zhik's global credibility and reach only adds to the Whitsundays' reputation as a world-class sailing destination

The collaboration opens a range of exciting possibilities for the region. Tourism Whitsundays and Zhik will jointly investigate the development of a consumer apparel range, celebrating The Whitsundays as the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, giving visitors and locals the opportunity to take a piece of this world-iconic destination home with them.

The partnership will also explore how visitation to The Whitsundays can become a genuine force for good, with further announcements expected in the coming months as the initiative takes shape.

Tourism Whitsundays will transition its staff uniforms to Zhik's sustainable apparel standards, using recycled materials, that are water-safe and sun-smart, reflecting the organisation's broader commitment to responsible and reef-conscious tourism.

Tim Booth, CEO, Tourism Whitsundays

"The Whitsundays is one of the world's great sailing destinations, and partnering with Zhik, a brand that shares our passion for the water and our commitment to doing things better, is a natural fit.

“This partnership is about more than sponsorship. It's about investing in the identity and future of our region and finding ways to make every visit here count for something beyond the experience itself."

Johnny Rodgers, Head of Marketing, Global Sponsorship & Partnerships

"The Whitsundays is the perfect home for a brand built around performance on the water. At Zhik, sustainability is woven into everything we make — through our use of Repreve®, the world's leading recycled performance fibre made from post-consumer plastic bottles, we're giving waste a second life as high-performance apparel.

“Garments supplied also have UPF 50+ protection which is independently tested to Australian standards, the world's highest for sun protection, delivering reliable defence against harmful UV which in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands we all know has plenty of.

“This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring that commitment to one of Australia's most treasured marine environments."

++

To view supporting images click here.

About Tourism Whitsundays: Tourism Whitsundays (TW) is the organisation responsible for destination marketing and visitor attraction for the Whitsunday region. It is the lead agency recognised by Tourism and Events Queensland and the Whitsunday Regional Council to lead the promotion of the region as a tourism destination. Tourism Whitsundays markets all aspects of the region including the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands and Coast, accommodation, boating and sailing, fishing, touring, recreational activities, adventure, dining, shopping, weddings and honeymoons, conferencing and business events.

About Zhik: Founded in Sydney in 2003, Zhik is a global leader in high-performance water sports apparel, designing and engineering gear for sailing, yachting, paddling and rowing. Born out of a drive to challenge what was possible in technical apparel, Zhik has become the brand of choice for Olympic and World Champions, sharing in 58 Olympic medal victories across four Olympic Games and serving as official technical apparel partner for SailGP teams, Vendee Globe, Sydney 2 Hobart winners and much more Zhik's commitment to innovation extends beyond performance and has Sustainability at the heart of every product.