Townsville City Council is spearheading the creation of a Townsville Events Board as part of the Townsville Event Strategy 2020. The Townsville Events Board will combine Council with leading industry experts to bring the Strategy to life and build Townsville’s reputation as an events hub. Townsville Acting Mayor Les Walker said the Townsville Event Strategy 2020 helped Townsville contend against other cities and regions wanting to attract prestigious events.
“We want to brand Townsville as an events destination. We want to be the regional events capital of northern Australia,” Cr Walker said. “By creating a Townsville Events Board, we will be able to work closely with stakeholders across the city in order to attract, deliver and keep world-class events in our city. “When we come together with events stakeholders from across Townsville, we will be able to create a one-stop shop for event enquiries from interstate and from overseas. We want to make it as easy as possible for promoters to secure their events in Townsville.”
Cr Walker said there was growing demand for new and innovative events to be held across Townsville. “In just the last 12 months we’ve seen some game changing events here in Townsville, including HALO, NAFA and the Northern Fringe Festival,” he said. “Townsville has recently had a successful bid to host the ITU World Multisport Championships in 2021 and there is already talk of more international and national cricket matches being held here.
“The need for a central point of contact for event organisers is clear if Townsville wants to continue to reap economic, social and community development opportunities.” Governance and Finance Committee Chairperson, Councillor Verena Coombe, said it was essential that Townsville continued to grow its signature events in order to continue to stimulate the local economy. “The events that we already hold in Townsville, including Groovin the Moo and the Supercars Championship, have a major economic impact on the city. They create jobs and drive intra- and interstate tourism,” she said. “For every dollar spent at a locally owned bar, restaurant or retail outlet there is a multiplier effect. This strategy brings a focus to growing economic activity in the hospitality and events services industries. “The Townsville Events Board recognises a maturing of our events industry and announces that our city is here to seriously play in the events space.” The structure of the Townsville Event Strategy 2020 was adopted by Council last month.
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