QHA-Review_July_digital

Jinny Dinh, Hotel industry Rising Star winner and
Bernie Hogan, chief executive of the QHA
BEYOND 2032
...MANY OF
WHOM WERE
RISING STARS AT
THE VERY FIRST
EVENT AND HAVE
NOW BECOME
THE LEADING
HOTELIERS OF
TODAY.
First up this month, I must congratulate all of the outstanding members that nominated
for the 2023 Awards for Excellence. At our Awards Gala in June we saw over 1400
members come together to celebrate the very best Queensland has to offer. This event
marked the 30th year since the inception of the awards, and it is a true testament to
the longevity of the industry to see so many familiar faces, many of whom were rising
stars at the very first event and have now become the leading hoteliers of today.
With incredibly tough competition, we recognised Tracy Hatch of the Wellshot Hotel,
Ilfracombe as the Hotelier of the Year, The Langham Gold Coast as the Best Overall
Accommodation Hotel, The Rix Hotel from Charters Towers as the Best Overall Hotel
Regional and The Prince Consort as the Best Overall Hotel Metropolitan. We could not
have asked for a more diverse group of members celebrated as leaders in our industry.
This got me thinking about the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.
So much focus and conversation is centred upon the games. What I believe we are
missing however is a greater vision beyond this event.
It occurs to me that we need to change our focus. While there is incredible
opportunities for members across the state as we welcome the world for a few weeks
in 2032, the opportunities beyond this date are just as important. Queensland has a
rare opportunity to establish a reputation for tourism and hospitality excellence that will
last well beyond the few weeks of the games.
Between now and 2032, many government programs will be looking to build
infrastructure, support business development, attract new investment and train staff.
As an industry, I would like to think that we can move beyond short-term pork-barrelling
and set up our state for long term prosperity. It will take every member to achieve this.
If a project is suggested, we should not automatically dismiss it or limit it to current
needs. Imagine what will be needed if our tourism numbers double or triple – not for
just a week, but for years. These are the kinds of big picture thinkers that our industry
needs. We have them, as we saw at the Awards for Excellence. It is not a 9-year sprint
but a marathon that needs to last beyond our lifetime.
BERNIE HOGAN
QHA CHIEF EXECUTIVE/EDITOR
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