January 2022

TEQ Events
Strategy 2025
Executive Summary
Vision and The
Opportunity

Tourism and Events Queensland’s (TEQ) Events Strategy 2025

provides a platform to realise the TEQ vision of inspiring consumers
to visit Queensland to experience the best events in Australia.

Tourism and Events Queensland Vision

INSPIRING through brand, integrated marketing and events

THE WORLD in priority domestic and international source markets

TO EXPERIENCE Queensland’s signature experiences and events

THE BEST through quality and innovation

ADDRESS ON EARTH showcasing the best of Queensland

The Opportunity Queenslanders. TEQ plays a key role

in supporting industry growth and jobs
Events generate enormous economic
through:
and social value for local communities,
and bring people together to explore • Marketing and promoting tourism in
Queensland’s unforgettable experiences. Queensland;
Whether they are sporting, health and
• Tourism experience and destination
lifestyle, art, cultural or business, each
development; and
event celebrates the Queensland story
and helps sell our State to the world. • Working to identify, attract and promote
major events.
Tourism and Events Queensland works
collaboratively with government, industry The TEQ Events Strategy 2025 provides
and destination partners to identify, a framework to create a sustainable
attract, develop and promote successful Queensland Events Calendar that ensures
events in Queensland. government investment is prioritised;
events are integrated into both experience
The inclusion of events into an integrated
and destination marketing initiatives;
TEQ approach to driving visitor growth
required economic and social outcomes
and expenditure represents a major
are met; and events continue to drive
opportunity for the State – every dollar
growth to achieve superior results against
of event investment can also be seen
investment objectives.
as a dollar invested in experience and
destination marketing. Events complement Events supported by TEQ meet all the
the leisure travel sector and are often following objectives which are mandated
the deciding factor to travel, especially in the Tourism and Events Queensland
outside peak holiday periods, while also Act 2012:
encouraging greater visitor dispersal • Contribute to the Queensland economy;
throughout regional Queensland. • Attract visitors to Queensland;
Queensland’s visitor economy is • Enhance the profile of Queensland; and
worth $23 billion per year in tourism • Foster community pride in Queensland.
spending, contributes 7.5% of Gross State
Product (GSP) and employs 220,000
What does success
look like?

By 2025 TEQ will be

Strategic Framework consistently recognised, both
TEQ’s Events Strategy 2025 is an important part of TEQ’s internationally and nationally,
overarching strategic direction. Success of this Events Strategy as the market leader in its field,
is fundamentally reliant on three important framework pillars: with an entrenched reputation
in industry characterised by:
1.
Leveraging the competitive advantage of Tourism
• Demonstrated progress towards
and Events Queensland;
growing the value of the Queensland
Events Calendar towards $1.5 billion in
2. Strategic Partnerships with event and destination
 economic impact;
stakeholders; and • A clear relationship between investment
in events and the direct tourism benefits
3. Agreement and reliance on a set of event selection
 generated;
metrics that will inform optimal event investment. • Clarity and consistency of strategic
direction;
The Events Strategy is designed to be adaptive and to connect
with industry, to inspire growth and to maintain currency through • Innovative, creative and continuously
improving strategic event acquisition
time with changing trends, funding and priorities. The Events Strategy
and marketing programs;
is subject to existing capacity and capabilities, infrastructure and
• The substantial leadership role played
resources, including access, accommodation, transport, public
by the Queensland Events Calendar
infrastructure, venues and precincts.
combined with Queensland’s world class
The Events Strategy complements the TEQ Marketing Strategy 2025, event experiences in the positioning of
which outlines the direction and execution for the marketing of Queensland;

tourism and event experiences in Queensland over the short • Queensland’s Events Calendar recognised
and medium term. as a key platform and rallying point for
stakeholders marketing Queensland’s
destinations;

• A framework that enables the optimal

mix of public/private sector investment
in staging and leveraging events; and

• TEQ’s innovative and integrated

partnership and experience development
models that have empowered
Queensland’s destinations to take a more
active role in the identification, attraction,
development and promotion of events.
TEQ will develop, manage and TEQ has defined four corporate objectives
promote a distinctive, world-class with corresponding targets for Queensland’s
Calendar of Events to reach its 2025
Events Calendar for Queensland
potential. These objectives will be realised
that, as a sustainable high through the execution of five strategic
value asset, contributes to the events priorities.
Queensland economy and inspires
visitors to experience the best
events in Australia at the best
address on earth.

Corporate Measures Strategic Events

Objectives and 2025 Targets Priorities

1. Contribute to the Grow the value of the Attract and secure

Queensland Economy calendar from $600 major events to grow
million in 2017 to the Queensland
$1.5 billion economy and
support jobs

2 Attract visitors to Contribute $1 billion Maintain an events

Queensland in Overnight Visitor calendar that is a high
Expenditure value sustainable asset
for Queensland

3. Enhance the profile Generate 5 million Support regional

of Queensland direct visitor nights Queensland through
the Queensland
Destination Events
Program (QDEP)

4. Foster community Community Sentiment Support the

pride in Queensland towards Major Events Queensland business
• >90% positive events sector through
perception the Business
Events Program

Maximise opportunities
for tourism leading
up to and after the
Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth
Games™
It’s Live! in Queensland

An integrated events events, whether they are regular events

in the calendar or one-off ‘footloose’
marketing campaign platform
events, must deliver against TEQ’s
was implemented to assist in statutory required tourism, economic and
driving value for Queensland’s community objectives.
Events Calendar. The platform Queensland Destination Events are
sees the Events Calendar currently the greatest in number and
taken to market under a are unique to its host destination, create
enormous value as destination marketing
bespoke brand, It’s Live!
tools and form the platform or the
in Queensland. Importantly, foundation of the Events Calendar.
the platform enables the
Business Events is a collective term
Events Calendar to be referring to corporate and government
presented in a range of ways meetings, incentive travel reward programs,
in order to reflect its multi- association conventions, and exhibitions.
The event may be as small as 15 business
dimensional nature.
people convening an off-site workshop
In addition to promoting the Queensland to solve a problem, through to a large
Events Calendar as a whole, the It’s Live! international scientific meeting attracting
In Queensland platform can promote 10,000 delegates. It could involve travel and
individual events or events within certain accommodation for hundreds of corporate
clusters or genres, it can promote one incentive participants; or it may be a trade
or more events that might align with or exhibition attracting 5,000 business visitors.
strengthen a particular Queensland hero The event may be held in a regional town
experience, it can also promote events in hall, a resort, a hotel or it may be hosted in a
individual destinations or those at certain large purpose-built facility.
times of the year.

TEQ Event Investment Programs

TEQ makes cash and value in kind
investments in and/or supports events
across three major program groups:

• Major Event Investment;

• Queensland Destination Events

Program (QDEP); and

• Business Events Investment.

Major Event investments can be

characterised as opportunistic events and
are selected to provide variety and richness
to the Events Calendar. Major events may
be one-off or annually recurring. Major
 YO U R 2 0 2 2 Q U E E N S L A N D
EVENTS CALEN DAR

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN

BRISBANE BRISBANE BRISBANE BRISBANE
- Curiocity Brisbane - Australian Youth Water - Moreton Bay Multisport - Abbey Medieval Festival
- World Science Festival Polo Championship Festival - Brisbane Marathon
Brisbane - The Planting - Scenic Rim Adventure Festival
Festival - Scenic Rim Eat Local Week
CAIRNS & GREAT - The Gathering
BARRIER REEF CAIRNS & GREAT
- Toyota AFL Premiership BARRIER REEF
- Saint Kilda v Port - Cairns Airport IRONMAN
Pictured: Maryam Ayeen & Abbas
Shahsavar / Fall in dopamine (detail) Adelaide 70.3 Cairns
2020-21 / Courtesy: the artists / Image
courtesy and photographer: the artists
- Northern Peninsula
Area Festival
BRISBANE BUNDABERG
- Outback by the Sea Festival
- The 10th Asia Pacific - Bundaberg Cup
Triennial of Contemporary FRASER COAST
Art (APT10) CAIRNS & GREAT - Mary Poppins Festival
BARRIER REEF
BRISBANE - Cairns Summer Sounds BRISBANE GOLD COAST
- Australian PGA - Port Douglas Hot and Brisbane Cycling Festival: - Australian Open
Championship Steamy Festival BRISBANE Lawn Bowls
- Australian Unity Tour de
- Open Season - NRL Magic Round - Cooly Rocks On
Brisbane
- Auscycling Track - TV Week Logie Awards
CAIRNS & GREAT CAIRNS & GREAT
National Championships BARRIER REEF BARRIER REEF
- Oceania Cycling - Yarrabah Music and
Championships - Ecofiesta
Cultural Festival
- Port Douglas Carnivale
GOLD COAST CAPRICORN GLADSTONE
- BOWLZILLA Gold Coast - Rocknats Car Festival - 1770 Festival
- VolleySlam
- Boyne Tannum HookUp
FRASER COAST
OUTBACK - Jungle Love Festival GOLD COAST
QUEENSLAND
- Australian Gymnastics
GLADSTONE - WOW Australia GOLD COAST Championships
- Agnes Blues, Roots (Longreach) - Australian Surf Life Saving
CAPRICORN - Blues on Broadbeach
& Rock Festival Championships MACKAY
- Capricorn Film Festival SOUTHERN Music Festival
- Cooly Classic Ocean Swim - St Lawrence Wetlands
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY
GOLD COAST OUTBACK QUEENSLAND Weekend
GOLD COAST - CelticFest - Gold Coast Film Festival
- Eurovision - Australia - Gold Coast Open - Festival of Outback Opera
- Pacific Fair Magic Decides
Millions Polo - Gold Coast Running - Road to Rodeo Longreach
- Summer of Surf Shaw Festival
- The Surf City Cup - and Partners Shannon SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND
Australian Series Eckstein Ironman Classic - Gold Coast Triathlon: Luke
COUNTRY
Harrop Memorial
SOUTHERN - Hampton Festival
- Lawn Bowls Australian
QUEENSLAND Championships SUNSHINE COAST
COUNTRY
MACKAY - Goomeri Pumpkin Festival
- Festival of Hell
- Basketball Australia - Runaway Noosa Marathon
- Stanthorpe Apple &
Grape Harvest Festival Under-20 & Ivor Burge
Championships TOWNSVILLE NORTH
QUEENSLAND
SUNSHINE COAST
SUNSHINE COAST OUTBACK QUEENSLAND - Adventurethon Townsville
- Noosa Summer Swim TOWNSVILLE NORTH
Festival - Noosa Festival of Surfing - Birdsville Races - Sweet Days Hot QUEENSLAND
- Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Nights Festival - North Australian Festival
SUNSHINE COAST Festival of Arts (NAFA)
- Mooloolaba Triathlon - Roma’s Easter in the Country
GOLD COAST
SOUTHERN
- The Star Gold Coast TOWNSVILLE NORTH QUEENSLAND COUNTRY
Magic Millions Carnival QUEENSLAND - Scenic Rim Clydesdale
- North Queensland Games Spectacular

Events, dates and venues are subject to change without notice. Visitors should check any public health directions in place at the time via the Queensland Government website qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
Indigenous artwork © The State of Queensland (Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development and the Commonwealth Games) 2019.
Tourism and Events Queensland acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
 CAIRNS INDIGENOUS ARTS FAIR,
CAIRNS & GREAT BARRIER REEF

JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

BRISBANE BRISBANE BRISBANE CAIRNS AND GREAT
- Brisbane Trail Ultra - Moreton Bay Food + Wine - BIGSOUND BARRIER REEF
- Jetty 2 Jetty Fun Run Festival - Brisbane Festival - Crocodile Trophy
- QPAC International - Quandamooka Festival - CMC Rocks QLD
Series - Paris Opera Ballet
CAIRNS AND GREAT CAIRNS AND GREAT
- The Guzzler Ultra
BARRIER REEF BARRIER REEF
CAIRNS & GREAT - Reef to Reef - Cairns Summer Sounds
BARRIER REEF
CAPRICORN - Savannah in The Round
- Australian Boomers vs
- CQUniversity Village Festival - Targa Great Barrier Reef
New Zealand Tall Blacks
- Women’s Masters Hockey
- Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair
Championships BRISBANE BRISBANE
- The Tour of the Tropics - Nitro World Games - Woodford Folk Festival
GOLD COAST
CAPRICORN
- Men’s Masters Hockey BRISBANE
- Country on Keppel Championships
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup FRASER COAST
- Yeppoon Running - National Clubs Gymnastic
Festival - Hervey Bay 100
Carnival GOLD COAST
GOLD COAST - Swell Sculpture Festival - Australian Masters
GOLD COAST
- Village Roadshow Theme Hockey Championships
MACKAY - Australian Schools
Parks Gold Coast Marathon - Coolangatta Gold
- Rumble on the Reef Championships (Basketball)
- Groundwater Country
MACKAY Music Festival
- Mackay Festival of Arts OUTBACK QUEENSLAND
- Motorcycle Beach Races - Mount Isa Rodeo

OUTBACK SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

QUEENSLAND COUNTRY
- Birdsville Big Red Bash - Historic Leyburn Sprints
- Boulia Camel Races
SUNSHINE COAST
- Tara Festival
- Gympie Music Muster
- Noosa Classic
- NRL Telstra Premiership
Rabbitohs v Warriors
SOUTHERN GOLD COAST
- Sunshine Coast - Pan Pacific Masters
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY GOLD COAST
Marathon Festival Games
- Toowoomba Carnival - Boost Mobile Gold Coast
of Flowers 500
THE WHITSUNDAYS
SOUTHERN - Hamilton Island Triathlon
SUNSHINE COAST
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY and Ocean Swim
- Blackall 100
- Blackbutt Avocado Festival

OUTBACK QUEENSLAND SUNSHINE COAST

- Outback Queensland - Ironman 70.3 Sunshine
Masters Coast
- Mitchell Creek Rock
SOUTHERN
‘N’ Blues Fest
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY
- Jumpers and Jazz in July THE WHITSUNDAYS
THE WHITSUNDAYS
- Airlie Beach Race Week
SUNSHINE COAST - Hamilton Island Race Week Festival of Sailing
- Queensland Garden Expo
THE WHITSUNDAYS TOWNSVILLE NORTH
- Noosa Enduro
- Great Barrier Reef Festival QUEENSLAND THE WHITSUNDAYS
TOWNSVILLE NORTH - SeaLink Magnetic Island SUNSHINE COAST - Airlie Beach Festival
QUEENSLAND TOWNSVILLE NORTH Race Week - Noosa Triathlon of Music
- Australian Festival of QUEENSLAND
Chamber Music - North Queensland
- NTI Townsville 500 Elite Rodeo

BE A PART OF THE ACTION QUEENSLAND.COM/EVENTS

Strategic Event Priorities

The following are TEQ’s long-term priorities, aligned with the strategies to realise these over
the medium term. Five priorities were identified to guide the event investment activity to achieve
the objectives specified in the Tourism and Events Queensland Act 2012. Strategies are reviewed
and updated annually as part of TEQ’s annual planning process.

Strategic Event Priority Strategies

1. Attract and secure major events 1.1 Drive superior returns against investment objectives to grow the events and
to grow the Queensland economy tourism industry
and support jobs 1.2 Materially contribute to the Service Delivery Statement measures by growing the
portfolio of events

2. Maintain an events calendar that is 2.1 Curate the annual events calendar to showcase the diversity and quality
a high value sustainable asset for of events by genre and destination and to underpin the It’s Live! in
Queensland Queensland campaign
2.2 Extend the It’s Live! in Queensland campaign to strategic and iconic events that
are not supported by TEQ’s funding programs

3. Support regional Queensland 3.1 Provide support over three funding rounds per year to deliver outcomes against
through the Queensland the QDEP objectives
Destination Events Program (QDEP) 3.2 Partner with regional stakeholders to ensure key destination events continue to
grow in outcomes against QDEP objectives

4. Support the Queensland business 4.1 Funding support aligned to government sector priorities and high yielding
events sector through the Business business events
Events Program 4.2 Support the Queensland Asia Tourism Strategy 2016-2025 to support the
industry in bidding for incentive travel out of Asia to Queensland

5. Maximise opportunities for tourism 5.1 Support the implementation of event-related initiatives to leverage the Gold
leading up to and after the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™
Coast 2018 Commonwealth
Games™