CityLife FEATURE1. Over the years what is the one thing you have come toappreciate about the city of Cairns?As new residents, having only arrived in October last year, myfamily and I are loving the time back in nature. Getting out on thereef, exploring the rainforest, swimming in the volcanic lakes, birdwatching and all the vibrant colours of the world around us. Wecan take a five-minute walk from our new home and be in thickforest with a crystal clear rainforest stream weaving through the talltrees. With a young family it’s been great to share these experienceswith new friends and we are settling into our new social life, with agreat school community, amazing performing arts centre, and lotsof events.Mark OlsenChief Executive Officer,Tourism Tropical NorthQueensland (TTNQ)“ What thisregion offers iswhat the worldis looking for”2. The region has experienced many tough timesthroughout the years, but none quite like we areexperiencing now. What is one message you would liketo give to the people of Cairns at this uncertain time?This is the time for the community to unite and support eachother. Everyone is being impacted, but the sooner we can stop thespread of the virus and ensure our community is safe, the soonerwe can get back on with the business of sharing this amazing bitof the world with all those people who have been cooped up athome. Safe home, stay safe, stop the spread. What this regionoffers is what the world is looking for on the other side of this globalpandemic, our visitor experiences, our seafood and agriculturalproduct, our world-class educators, our lifestyle and connection tonature. These will be the things that help drive our economy formany years to come.3. Leaders like yourself have united to fight for theregion in what are unprecedented times – what roleare you and your organisation playing in all of this?Tourism Tropical North Queensland amplifies the voice of ourindustry, and our communities, to ensure we are being heard. Weare working closely with all sectors of the economy to ensure ourregion is front of mind in every decision government is making,and front of mind for consumers planning their dream holidaywhen we have the virus contained. As a team we ensure we arelistening to the industry and the communities across the region,from Cardwell to the Torres Strait and out to Boodjamulla (LawnHill) and Riversleigh and sharing their concerns with all levels ofgovernment. We are also working hard to build demand for thefuture with inspirational content, stronger partnerships globally,and active bids for major events and conferences for the yearsahead.4. While there are many negatives about the currentsituation we all find ourselves in – what is one thing youare looking forward to doing while in isolation?Over Easter I enjoyed some quality time with my family. We tookthe TNQ Easter Challenge and recreated our favourite visitorexperience in the region at home. The biggest challenge is tryingto decide what experience to choose. Should we swim on thereef in the lounge room, go fishing in the pool, go camping in thebackyard, float down a pretend Mulgrave River in our garage ortry and re-create the hike up the Pyramid (which we haven’t doneyet and will have to wait a bit longer).CityLife 20Magazine
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