Welcome to QICA Conference in Agnes Water & Town of 1770
3-5 October 2023
We look forward to welcoming our speakers for 2023!
Connections Coaches
Michael and Amy – Connections Coaches
Michael and Amy Stuth, renowned relationship coaches, are thrilled to be speaking at the QICA conference. Their presentation will cover a wide range of essential topics to strengthen relationships. They will delve into the fundamentals of a healthy partnership, revealing the secrets to building rapport and fostering effective communication. Attendees will also learn how to provide constructive criticism without creating animosity. Additionally, Michael and Amy will shed light on the impact of stress on relationships and provide simple yet powerful techniques to overcome it.
Bundaberg Tourism
Katherine Reid – SGBR
‘Where Great Begins”… with Katherine Reid, CEO of Bundaberg Tourism, and advocate for the Southern Great Barrier Reef. With over two decades of experience in regional tourism and business, Katherine brings a holistic understanding of the industry to her role. Her remarkable achievements include serving as the President of the LTO of Agnes Water and Town of 1770 and owner, operator of eco-tourism business, 1770 LARC Tours for 17 years. Katherine’s passion for community, sustainability, and the preservation of the Great Barrier Reef has earned her numerous awards and recognition as a Tourism Champion.
Southern Great Barrier Reef
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort
AMY GASh – Lady Elliot Island ECO Resort
With her extensive expertise and boundless enthusiasm, Amy has dedicated herself to the preservation and understanding of marine ecosystems. As a prominent advocate for sustainable practices, she has become a guiding light in the field of marine conservation. Her work on Lady Elliot island, a pristine gem nestled in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, has provided invaluable insights into the intricate web of underwater life. In 2022, she was honoured at the Queensland Tourism Awards with the Young Achiever Award for her outstanding contribution to the tourism industry.
Tourism Tribe
Bookeasy
Fabienne Wintle – Tourism Tribe
Fabienne (Fabie) is a digital strategist who excels in her field of empowering tourism professionals to make the most of digital technology in their business ventures. She is an advocate for digital self-sufficiency within businesses and her hands-on approach has enabled thousands of small and large business owners with the tools and knowledge to make a living from Tourism. Fabienns’s special blend of digital know-how, tourism knowledge, her training and coaching skills, ability to think outside the box and a natural gift for communication make her a sought after consultant, workshop faciliatory and speaker in her field.
Chris Telenta – Bookeasy
Join Bookeasy’s Training & Development Manager, Chris, as he shares industry insights and how to get the most out of Bookeasy. With experience as an educator, managing hotels and tour companies and running a successful Visitor Information Centre, in some of the most remote locations of Australia, Chris brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to his role with Bookeasy.
Vacayit
The Tourism Group
Hailey Brown – Vacayit
Vacayit, a pioneering organisation for accessible tourism, is revolutionising travel promotion by creating accessible and high-quality immersive audio experiences, making travel choices easy for everyone. They understand that the travel experience can be challenging or those with visual impairments, as most travel information online heavily relies on images and videos, which are not informative enough for people with disabilities.
The driving force behind Vacayit is Hailey, an avid traveler with degrees in Tourism and Psychology. Recognised as one of Australia’s top women entrepreneurs, she created the world’s first audio tourism platform to promote inclusive and accessible marketing, aiming for positive societal change in the tourism industry. Her goal: to ensure the entire world is audio described.
Becky Whitehead – The Tourism Group – Australian Visitor Centers App
Becky joined The Tourism Group in March 2023 as a Project Specialist, focusing her attention on the sales, marketing and strategy development of the Australian Visitor Centres App. As a recent Geography and Tourism Management graduate, Becky has experience across tourism consulting, operations and carbon accounting. Her passion for sustainability has led her to develop preliminary climate action reports, helping small businesses achieve their net zero targets.
Becky looks forward to speaking about the importance of an online Visitor Centre presence in attracting a younger travel market and safeguarding the network in a digital age.
conference optional activities
Yoga
A gentle yoga class with Jo, to begin your day with a sense of vitality and calm. We will move the body with the support of the breath. With plenty of options for all, you can join in even if you are new to yoga.
Date: Wednesday 4 October
Time: 6.30am
Location: Main Beach Agnes Water
Cost: FREE
Breathwork & ICE BAth
Are you ready for the challenge?
Designed to get out of your comfort zone!
We start with guided breathwork to prepare you for the plunge.
Become the master of your mind and learn the tools to help in everyday life.
Date: Thursday 5 October
Time: 7.00 am
Location: Main Beach Agnes Water
Cost: $15
accommodation options for your stay
pre/post conference deals and activities
Get ready to high-five the eco champions of our Towns,
Discovery Coast Environment Group (DCEG)!
All funds raised during the conference will go to DCEG and their awesome environmental initiatives.
Who we are
The Discovery Coast Environment Group (DCEG) is a not-for-profit volunteer group established in 2015, based in the beautiful coastal town of Agnes Water, Queensland. Our aim is to protect and conserve the natural environment of the Discovery Coast region.
Objectives
The objectives of the DCEG are:
- To create environmental awareness within the Discovery Coast region.
- To work with the community to implement a greener footprint in our area.
- To promote education of the protection and conservation of marine and wildlife within the region.
- To protect and conserve all flora and fauna in the Discovery Coast area.
Our Activities
DCEG co-ordinates a number of volunteer lead activities throughout the year including:-
- Turtle Monitoring
- Beach Clean Ups
- Marine Stranding Response
- Bin Chicken (Recycling) at Festivals
- Cane Toad Management
- Invasive Species control on the coastal areas and dunes
- Educational Talks
our event sponsors
