The Gold Forever Glitters

Escape to a place where the fun never sets yet it’s good at the serious stuff too.

The Gold Coast is like no other meetings destination in Australia. For decades, it honed its tourism appeal until it became synonymous with great fun and good times and that reputation has carried over to its corporate identity. While the Coast has a wide range of superbly efficient and well designed conference venues, it also has enough special events venues to satisfy every taste.

A conference held on the Gold Coast has a special charm and creates memories that last forever. Hold an event on the Gold Coast and delegates can’t register fast enough. Much of this has to do with the region’s incredible natural attractions including more than 70 kilometres of coastline featuring 42 kilometres of golden sand beaches. Thus, the sun and surf lifestyle is an indelible part of the Gold Coast meetings identity.

The main points along the coast – Coolangatta, Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Southport – all have very distinct characters. To the south are the quieter seaside resort experiences while to the north are the glittering lights and nightlife of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

ENTRY POINTS

The $10 million upgrade to Terminal 2 of the Gold Coast Airport has seen the facility go from strength to strength. In April, Virgin Blue’s 20 millionth passenger passed through the Gold Coast Airport’s gate and introduced new services including a direct Perth-Gold Coast flight. While Qantas has cut back services, its low price associate airline, Jetstar, has increased its number of flights.

Many delegates choose to arrive at the Gold Coast via Brisbane Airport. The Airtrain is a quick and easy option, leaving Brisbane Airport to a number of Gold Coast Hinterland railway stations as far south as Robina. The Airtrain Connect service costs just $39 per person one-way with a chaffeur driven connection to any hotel on the Coast.

The biggest news on the Gold Coast is the late June official opening of the $127 million Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Some of the events already booked into the centre at the time of the opening – the Charle Japan Incentive Conference, rewarding more than 6,000 top Japanese sales people in four back-to-back groups across one month, and LAWASIA Downunder 2005, the biennial Asia-Pacific law conference attracting 1,500 delegates including all the Chief Justices of the region.

EXECUTIVE RETREATS

At Conrad Jupiters, conference delegates have embraced the new executive floors, 101 extremely stylish guestrooms outfitted with widescreen LCD televisions and awash in a sleek contemporary style. The adjoining executive lounge includes a business centre with computer workstations and Internet access, and 2 meetings rooms reserved for the use of executive floor guests.

The Gold Coast’s many “worlds” continue to add new and exciting attractions to their holdings, many of which can be customised for the meetings and large-scale events markets.

At Sea World, up to 300 guests can have breakfasts or dinners at Shark Bay, the world’s biggest man-made shark lagoon. Home to tiger sharks, whalers, reef sharks, rays, sea stars and tropical reef fish, groups can dine on the above-ground area surrounding the specially constructed lagoons or in the underwater viewing gallery, which seats up to 150 guests.

SHARK BAIT

The entire Shark Bay exhibit can accommodate up to 1,500 guests for a casual affair, conveniently equipped with full audio facilities allowing presentations and entertainment to be performed from any level.

Corporate heavyweights such as Coca-Cola Amatil and Australian Air Express have sampled the conference options at the Hotel Watermark. One of the newest luxury hotels in the heart of Surfers Paradise, the Hotel Watermark is home to a range of meeting areas, the largest of which is suitable for up to 400 delegates.

There has never been a better time to conference at Hotel Watermark, with every 11th delegate now invited to attend absolutely free. With free day-delegate packages, free conference meals, free accommodation and a subsidy of up to $350 for flights or alternative transport, the Hotel Watermark is offering clients the potential to save thousands of dollars. Groups with a minimum of 10 paying deluxe or executive rooms per night can take advantage of this amazing deal until December 24, 2004.

FAMILY FRIENDLY

With the Gold Coast’s amazing range of family-friendly tourist attractions and facilities, it’s little wonder that many conference delegates bring along their spouses and children. At the Mercure Coralia Resort Surfers Paradise, families are not only encouraged, it’s almost a condition of entry. The Mercure’s latest product is their Junior Bunkhouse rooms with the comfort of kids as the number one criterion. The revolutionary new rooms feature a separately designed kids-only area with brightly painted bunk beds and their own TV with Nickelodeon channel, Playstation, chalkboard and play desk.

The new rooms make kids feel special by creating their own private space that is separate from the parents’ area and devoted just to fun. With bright, nautical theming and access to all their favourite games and DVDs, the rooms have already been given the big thumbs up by young testers. All rooms have been fully refurbished, as have the resort’s lobby area and Sinbad’s Restaurant.

In June, The Villa, a magnificent 2,500 square metre private mansion with its own 9 hole golf course, was officially opened for exclusive events. Intimate and opulent, The Villa offers discerning guests an exceptional setting just a short drive from the heart of the Gold Coast. After extensive refurbishment, the 5 star mansion features function rooms, board rooms, a billiards room, indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna.

VERY SPECIAL EVENTS

Catering for up to 300 guests, this exclusive facility has a Graham Marsh redesigned golf course and special features including private caddy service, rooftop tee-off, helipad and private jetty for river access.

Warner Bros Movie World has a new group event theme option in the shape of Scooby-Doo’s Spooky Island Adventure. Guests meet up with the Mystery Inc gang – Fred, Shaggy, Velma and Daphne – and in the course of solving a mystery stumble across Spooky Island! A banquet is set up in the atmospheric foyer of the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster where ghouls, gargoyles and even a talking suit of armour await.

Another popular theme event is A Night at the Moulin Rouge, where uniformed gendarmes escort guests along the red carpet to the hedonistic world of Paris at the turn of the last century. Tumblers, belly dancers and jugglers prepare the guests for the introduction to the master of ceremonies, Monsieur Henri Ziegler, and the “Bal Du Moulin Rouge” commences.

Warner Village Theme Parks, incorporating Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World and Wet‘n’Wild Water World have officially commenced the operation of Paradise Country. A long-time favourite of conference and special event groups in its original location at Nerang, Paradise Country has now been relocated to a site adjacent to Movie World and was officially opened in September.

Follow this link for conference venues in the >> Gold Coast & Surfers Paradise, Queensland.