Page 22 - Tropic Magazine Issue 12

Industry
Tourism

Board with experience

He led Mantra Group to new nature-based
heights, now Bob East is destinations.
starting a new chapter set to ”Some volunteers
make a big impact on the are upset by the
Cairns tourism sector. closure, saying a
vital service will be
One of the Queensland tourism lost. As one
industry’s most experienced executives volunteer told
is joining the board one of the Tropical Tropic: “Who will
North’s newly influential corporate now be giving out
players. maps, bus
Experience Co – responsible for a timetables,
buying spree of Cairns tourism Warm welcome? information on free or cheap activities
operators in for families on a budget visiting here
recent years - The region’s peak tourism body is for the first time? It won’t be the
has appointed streamlining its operations and backpackers working at the tour
Bob East as a sharpening its focus, but at what cost? booking desks as they are private
Non-executive Tourism Tropical North Queensland businesses focused on earning
Director, with recently announced the closure of its commissions.” TTNQ is right to assess
expectations long-running visitor information its operations and focus the bulk of its
he will be centre, located in a prime spot on the resources on attracting tourists to the
elected Cairns Esplanade. The centre has been region, but might it be possible to scale
Chairman of the Board in October. operating since the 1980s, a time before down the visitor centre and still offer
Experience Co owns and operates a online bookings, apps and the that friendly
range of iconic local tourism proliferation of tour desks. TTNQ CEO human
businesses, including Raging Thunder, Pip Close said the visitor centre will interaction for
Big Cat, Reef Magic Cruises and Great close on June 22 because just 2% of tourists who
Barrier Reef Helicopters, as well as 18 visitors to the city were using its seek it?
skydiving drop zones across Australia services. “It is sad to be farewelling the Technology
and three in New Zealand. Cairns and Tropical North Visitor can’t replace a
Information Centre,” Ms Close said. warm welcome
“But exciting to be working on cutting from a local,
edge technology that will take Tropical after all.
North Queensland into the future as
one of the world’s most inspiring

Up and away

Trend increases at
Cairns Airport in
the 12 months to
Raging Thunder
March 2018
Mr East has more than 20 years’
experience in the tourism industry, Source: Herron Todd White
most recently serving as the CEO of
the Mantra Group for 12 years. He’s
also a member of the board of Tourism
Australia and has been its Chair since
2017.
“Bob brings a wealth of experience in
growing an ASX listed company, both
generically and through acquisition,”
Experience Co’s executive director and
CEO Anthony Ritter said. “I am very
much looking forward to his input and
guidance at both a board and personal
level.”
The company was known as Skydive 2.4% 8.3% 3.2%
The Beach prior to its 2015 listing on
the Australian Stock Exchange, a move
that fuelled growth and acquisitions in Domestic flights International flights Overall
the Cairns market.