Celebrating success is an integral part of any business and with nominations now open for the Bundaberg Regional Chambers of Commerce 2021 Business Excellence Awards this is an ideal time for our region’s businesses to celebrate and be recognised for their achievements.

The aims of the Chamber Business Awards are to recognise and reward business excellence within their industry, provide networking opportunities and assist businesses in sharing success and developing new relationships.

The opportunities to work with tourism trade have never been stronger for the Bundaberg Region. COVID-19 has forced Australians to holiday at home, so agents across Australia are desperate for product with availability to sell to their clients. As a destination so easily accessible from Brisbane and with fewer crowds Bundaberg is well placed to take advantage of these distribution opportunities.

Whilst travel as we know it has changed drastically in the last 16 months, one thing that hasn't changed is the importance of the accessible tourism sector. Though there are operators and businesses initiating great change, there is still more that needs to be done to ensure that the entire tourism industry listens, learns and acts.

Having an accessible business is about ensuring businesses and the services, infrastructure, public spaces, accommodation, and transport modes developed and delivered are accessible for all, especially for people with disability.

In the wake of the New South Wales hotspot declarations, TEQ is launching an intrastate marketing blitz this Sunday, 27 June to encourage Queenslanders to book a last-minute winter holiday to fill any cancellations or remaining availability.

Against all odds, the Bundaberg region’s tourism industry has established itself as a force to be reckoned with over the past year, with 12 months of tireless tourism trade work culminating in some of our leading operators attending the nation’s top tourism trade event, the Australian Tourism Exchange.

Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) is the largest tourism trade event in Australia. This year the event includes an in-person event held at the International Convention Centre, Sydney from 6 – 9 June with up to 65, 13-minute appointments connecting buyers from Australia and New Zealand to Australia’s leading tourism products. A virtual event is also being held from 10 -17 June connecting the rest of the world buyers to Australian tourism product to exchange knowledge and make business connections.

On 6 May 2021, Tourism Australia launched the next iteration of the Holiday Here This Year campaign.

The campaign encourages Australians to take an epic holiday and experience some of Australia’s iconic tourism offerings while also helping tourism businesses and communities to thrive. This latest activation showcases internationally reliant tourism regions in every state and territory to encourage domestic audiences to start taking those longer trips and travel like international consumers do. Tourism Australia have also created an interactive holiday quiz to help consumers choose their next big adventure.

Bundaberg Tourism and the regions trade active operators have continued to promote the destination virtually to Key Distribution Partners both domestic and international, despite border closures, ensuring agents around the world are familiar with Bundaberg and the Southern Great Barrier Reef and how to include our region in their client’s itineraries when they start traveling again.