MEDIA RELEASE 28 June 2009
FESTIVAL CAIRNS SHOWCASED TO SOUTHERN MEDIA
Journalists were treated to a glimpse of the excitement that will radiate around the city during Festival Cairns 2009 with a media familiarisation on the weekend (June 26-28).
Hosted by Festival Cairns organiser Cairns Regional Council with enormous support from Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Tourism Queensland, six journalists from around Queensland and interstate were flown to Cairns to join local media for a showcase of the annual event which reflects our tropical lifestyle.
Festival Cairns Coordinator Belinda Griffin said travel writers and columnists from some of the nation’s top selling magazines and newspapers were involved including the Sun Herald, New Idea, men’s style and the Brisbane Times.
“We introduced them to some of the mesmerising sights, sounds and flavours of Festival Cairns with a jazz performance at The Tanks Arts Centre, a wander around the Farmgate Markets at The Pier where Masterchef’s Gary Mehigan will be cooking during the Festival and lunch at The Sebel Reef House, one of the restaurants participating in Taste of Palm Cove,” she said.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Rob Giason said the media familiarisation would spread the word about Festival Cairns, encouraging visitors to maximise their holiday dollar by visiting the city when there was so much to do.
“Visiting journalists will get a unique insight into the culture of this sophisticated tropical city which will provide a more memorable experience. Events such as Festival Cairns are important to generate increased interest in a destination, particularly for repeat visitors.”
Mrs Griffin said the 100 per cent locally coordinated Festival Cairns had attracted some top national celebrities and entertainers including the Saltwater Band with Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Tex Perkins and the Hilltop Hoods, Grace Knight, Christine Anu and Grinspoon.
“While these personalities will add national appeal to the annual event, I am pleased to say we have achieved our aim by keeping Festival Cairns 2009 community-focused with an enormous 95 per cent of the program taken up with local content,” she said.
Festival Cairns 2009 kicks off on Friday August 21 with the inaugural Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, and ends 16 action-packed days later with the 20th anniversary celebrations of Carnival on Collins on Sunday September 6.
Festival Cairns Media Familiarisation partners are The Lakes Resort & Spa, Shangri-La Hotel, Tanks Arts Centre, The Pier Farmgate Markets, Salt House Restaurant & Bar, Sebel Reef House Palm Cove, Palm Cove Tourism, Pandanus Gallery, Ochre Restaurant and Pernod Ricard.
Ends
For more information:
Belinda Griffin, Festival Cairns Coordinator
T: 07 4044 3593 M: 0407 966 530 E: festival@cairns.qld.gov.au
www.cairns.qld.gov.au www.festivalcairns.com.au
Cairns Mayor Val Schier 0407 100 886
Issued by:
Liz Inglis on behalf of Pip Miller PR
Liz
T: 07 4059 2547 M: 0419 643 494 E: liz.ing@bigpond.net.au
Pip (Available from Thursday July 2)
T: 07 4032 4400 M: 0419 681543 E: pip@pipmillerpr.com.au
www.pipmillerpr.com.au