Tropical North Queensland welcomes Masters

Tropical North Queensland will welcome thousands of athletes and spectators from interstate and overseas as the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Masters Games kicks off in Cairns tomorrow.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said more than 1500 sportsmen and women aged 30 and above would participate in close to 20 sports over the four-day program.

“The Great Barrier Reef Masters Games is already exceeding expectations in its first year, with entries from every state and territory in Australia, as well as athletes flying in from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Guam,” said Ms Stuckey.

“Queensland has developed a reputation for delivering high-quality Masters sporting events, with the Great Barrier Reef Masters Games set to build on the huge success of the Gold Coast’s Pan Pacific Masters Games, held in 2012.

“The Newman Government recognises the significant economic benefits that sports tourism contributes to the economy, and supporting events like this are part of our commitment to achieve $30 billion in annual overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.”

The inaugural Great Barrier Reef Masters Games is part of a growing calendar of events secured for the region by Tourism and Events Queensland, with Cairns also set to host the UCI Mountain Bike World Cups in 2014 and 2016, the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.

Assistant Minister for Tourism and Member for Cairns Gavin King said the Masters Games was a fantastic addition to the Cairns major event calendar, attracting more visitors to the region and providing an economic boost to our local business and sporting organisations.

“We look forward to welcoming visiting athletes to Cairns for the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Masters Games, with many expected to stay on after the event, taking advantage of the great tourism experiences on offer in Tropical North Queensland,” Mr King said.

For more information on the Great Barrier Reef Masters Games including the program of events, visit www.gbrmg.com.au.

Discover more great events in Queensland at www.queensland.com

[ENDS] 7 August 2013

Media enquiries:
Minister’s Office - James O’Loan, 0439 291 268