Middle East travel executives visit the Gold Coast for Yinala 2009
Published Thursday, 05 March, 2009 at 02:24 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
The Gold Coast will this weekend host “Yinala” 2009, Australia’s largest Middle Eastern tourism trade show, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said today.
Ms Boyle said more than 50 of the Middle East’s most senior travel industry representatives would visit the Gold Coast to meet with delegates from the Queensland tourism industry.
“Tourism Queensland has long been at the forefront of targeting the Middle Eastern market and has worked closely with Tourism Australia to secure the Yinala trade event for 2009,” Ms Boyle said.
“Yinala provides an opportunity for representatives from the Queensland tourism industry to develop and establish relationships with key decision makers from the Gulf Countries including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
“Last year 30,000 Middle Eastern visitors, mainly from the Gulf States, spent an average 36 nights in Queensland – double that of the average international visitor.”
“The Middle East is one of Queensland’s most lucrative international markets for our industry and events such as Yinala will in turn assist to increase Middle Eastern visitors to the region.
“Yinala has been designed to ensure that when the world’s top travel agents and buyers return home, they will be inspired to further promote and market Queensland as a destination of choice.
Ms Boyle said the VIP travel trade and product manager guests would take part in a four day event which would include workshops with Gold Coast tourism operators and a series of familiarisations visiting the region’s attractions.
“While Yinala 2009 is being hosted at the Gold Coast the major trade show also presents significant opportunities for other Queensland destinations,” she said.
“Tourism Queensland has also organised two additional familiarisations to coincide with the event to the Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland where our guests will have the opportunity to explore the region and strengthen their ties with local operators.
“Not only do we want more Middle Eastern visitors to come to Queensland, we want them to come back and visit new destinations across the state.”
Ms Boyle said other initiatives to grow the lucrative Middle Eastern market in Queensland have included a recent visit to the region to meet with senior airline representatives to look into a range of options to improve capacity into Queensland.
“An increased number of flights into Queensland from the Middle East via airlines such as Emirates and Etihad have meant that the state is now more accessible than ever,” she said.
“In addition to hosting Yinala, in April Tourism Queensland will lead its annual Queensland on Tour trade mission to the Gulf States, giving Queensland tourism operators another opportunity to meet and do business with senior travel executives.
“We are committed to generating interest from international markets and will do everything possible to maximise the benefits for Queensland.
“I would like to thank the Queensland tourism industry for their support of Yinala 2009 and as a result we believe there’ll be see some fantastic results from this year’s event.”
Yinala 2009 will be held on the Gold Coast from 7 – 10 March.
Further information
Media enquiries
Minister’s Office – 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland – 3535 5588
Ms Boyle said more than 50 of the Middle East’s most senior travel industry representatives would visit the Gold Coast to meet with delegates from the Queensland tourism industry.
“Tourism Queensland has long been at the forefront of targeting the Middle Eastern market and has worked closely with Tourism Australia to secure the Yinala trade event for 2009,” Ms Boyle said.
“Yinala provides an opportunity for representatives from the Queensland tourism industry to develop and establish relationships with key decision makers from the Gulf Countries including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
“Last year 30,000 Middle Eastern visitors, mainly from the Gulf States, spent an average 36 nights in Queensland – double that of the average international visitor.”
“The Middle East is one of Queensland’s most lucrative international markets for our industry and events such as Yinala will in turn assist to increase Middle Eastern visitors to the region.
“Yinala has been designed to ensure that when the world’s top travel agents and buyers return home, they will be inspired to further promote and market Queensland as a destination of choice.
Ms Boyle said the VIP travel trade and product manager guests would take part in a four day event which would include workshops with Gold Coast tourism operators and a series of familiarisations visiting the region’s attractions.
“While Yinala 2009 is being hosted at the Gold Coast the major trade show also presents significant opportunities for other Queensland destinations,” she said.
“Tourism Queensland has also organised two additional familiarisations to coincide with the event to the Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland where our guests will have the opportunity to explore the region and strengthen their ties with local operators.
“Not only do we want more Middle Eastern visitors to come to Queensland, we want them to come back and visit new destinations across the state.”
Ms Boyle said other initiatives to grow the lucrative Middle Eastern market in Queensland have included a recent visit to the region to meet with senior airline representatives to look into a range of options to improve capacity into Queensland.
“An increased number of flights into Queensland from the Middle East via airlines such as Emirates and Etihad have meant that the state is now more accessible than ever,” she said.
“In addition to hosting Yinala, in April Tourism Queensland will lead its annual Queensland on Tour trade mission to the Gulf States, giving Queensland tourism operators another opportunity to meet and do business with senior travel executives.
“We are committed to generating interest from international markets and will do everything possible to maximise the benefits for Queensland.
“I would like to thank the Queensland tourism industry for their support of Yinala 2009 and as a result we believe there’ll be see some fantastic results from this year’s event.”
Yinala 2009 will be held on the Gold Coast from 7 – 10 March.
Further information
Media enquiries
Minister’s Office – 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland – 3535 5588