GOLD COAST STYLE

Australia’s Gold Coast is making a serious play to attract corporate travellers. The destination
is rightly famous for its leisure and tourism attractions. Visiting World Heritage-listed
rainforests or surf lessons along its 70km of coastline are chief among them, but the Gold
Coast’s real beauty is in the mix of man made and natural attractions.

The past year has seen a 41 per cent increase in business tourism spend on the Gold Coast
and a 49 per cent increase in business tourism delegate days. The destination is on track to
meet a target of US$1.27 billion a year in business tourism spend by 2010. New products including world-class hotels and international tourism drawcards are helping to meet that target.

There were US$57.5 billion of developments planned for the Gold Coast this year and last,
including the Gold Coast Airport runway extension. Properties under development include a Hilton project, which will open a luxury hotel and residential tower in 2010.
But for the region to really take off, Gold Coast Tourism spokesman Ben Pole says direct
routes and increased airline access is needed from Asian markets that include India, China,
Middle East, Japan and Southeast Asia.

GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE
Last March the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) handled its biggest event yet with 6,000 visitors from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan who descended on the Gold Coast in six waves for the Amway Greater China Leadership Seminar.

The GCCEC then went on to host 2,800 delegates at Microsoft Tech.Ed last August, and three waves of 1,000 guests each in September from Nan Shan Insurance Taiwan.
A US$21 million upgrade is due for completion in November and will double the available exhibition space.

SOFITEL
A short monorail trip away from GCCEC is the 293-room Sofitel. The property underwent a US$17 million refurbishment in 2005. Its conferencing facilities can cater for up to 450 delegates theatre style.
Recent events staged by the hotel include a conference for the Migration Institution of Australia with 180 delegates on the first day and 110 on day two, and a two-day conference for 220 from real estate network First National.
www.sofitel.com.au

CONRAD JUPITERS
Linked to GCCEC by an undercover walkway, the glitzy Conrad Jupiters has 594 rooms, including 101 rooms on the executive floor. A US$14 million refurbishment has updated the interiors
of more than 400 rooms.
Offering the Gold Coast’s largest hotel meeting spaces, the property has 13 convention rooms offering capacity for 2,300 theatre style and 1,300 for banquets.
Conrad Jupiters has recently hosted events for Amway, Asia Paints and Hero Honda, and
organised events for a 600-strong contingent from Yum Restaurants and 550 delegates from
hardware chain Mitre 10’s Trade Express.
www.conradjupiters.com.au

PALAZZO VERSACE
Apart from its star-pulling power, the opulent Palazzo Versace has accommodation for
business groups down to a fine art with its mantra that “everywhere the eye looks it
must see a feature”. Located at the Marina Mirage development, it has 205 rooms and
suites, and 72 two- and three-bedroom condos – 14 of which have their own plunge pool.
The property’s spa, Salus Per Aquum – which translates as ‘health through water’ – is available for corporate groups. There are six conference areas catering for meetings of up to 500 people cocktail style. Macquarie Bank, Audi and Lexus have held events here.
www.palazzoversace.com

SHERATON MIRAGE RESORT & SPA
The Sheraton Mirage is the only five-star resort with direct beach access on the Gold Coast. It is the major selling point of this Starwood property. There is also access to the Golden Door Spa and Health Club that can accommodate 90 people a day.
Recently, conferences have been held here for the Women’s Health Education and Research Society, Fuji Xerox and advertising agency DDB.
www.sheraton.com/goldcoast

DREAMWORLD & WHITEWATER WORLD
The Dreamworld theme park hosts about 300 conferences and events a year, but its biggest event yet was the Amway delegation from Greater China. There are a range of conferencing venues including a theatre and breakout rooms. In September, two new undercover event venues were introduced; the Shell, with a capacity of 1,000 guests seated or 2,500 guests in cocktail mode; and the Dream Room, which holds 500 seated guests.
In November, Coca-Cola Amatil held its Summer of Us 2007 National Sales Conference for 900 sales representatives.
www.themeparksgoldcoast.com.au

MCLARENS LANDING
McLarens Landing is a beautiful spot on the largely unpopulated South Stradbroke Island, where groups are taken by tall ship or catamaran for gala evenings or day trips.
Activities include four-wheel-drive eco adventures, parasailing, jet-skiing, seaplane flights and helicopter transfers back to Marina Mirage. From June to November, there are whale-watching tours.
Recently, National Australia Bank booked the venue for a Gilligan’s Island-themed evening for 450 people and Telstra also hosted an event for 400 people.
www.tallship.com.au

QDECK
With 360-degree views over the Gold Coast, stretching from the surf to the bush, QDeck
sits atop the world’s tallest residential tower, Q1 (at 322.5m high). The Skylight Room, on
Level 78, can be hired for private and corporate functions with a capacity of 180 people in cocktail mode, 120 for a banquet and 150 people theatre style. Recent events held here include a 400-strong cocktail party for Havaianas beach wear .
www.qdeck.com.au