Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce to expand business tourism work

The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce next month (July) assumes operational responsibility for the Toowoomba Regional Council-backed (TRC) Toowoomba Conferences.

Council recently awarded the tender for the business tourism work to the Chamber.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said the move would build on the positive relations between Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the region’s business community.

“This is an opportunity to further promote the Toowoomba Region to event planners in addition to highlighting the considerable benefits these conferences and events offer to local accommodation, hospitality and other service providers,” Mayor Antonio said.

TRC Tourism and Events portfolio leader Cr Geoff McDonald said the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce had the resources and business links to continue promoting the region as an attractive conference destination.

“Council recognises the value and the future potential in attracting visitors to our region and recently increased its investment in this area,” Cr McDonald said.

“As a result, Council decided to seek market interest in expanding service provision and promotional activities for this growing and lucrative visitor group.

“This sector covers many different groups including service clubs, car and special interest groups (two of which, the Studebaker and Rolls Royce owners held national rallies in Toowoomba around Easter), sporting bodies, not-for-profit groups, industry and professional associations who regularly seek new locations for annual rallies or meetings.

“Toowoomba Conferences has a well-established foundation and has achieved significant market exposure, which resulted in events being staged in our region. This shift will allow the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce to align business promotion work with many of its existing activities across its broad member base and externally.

“Business tourism visitors are the highest spending component of the visitor market and there is great scope to attract more state and national events to our region.

“The Toowoomba Region has a range of boutique accommodation, meeting and event venues and larger scale centres that cater to a diverse mix of uses.

“The Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and the new Toowoomba Second Range Crossing offer more convenient and direct access to larger metropolitan centres, which is a key consideration for major event planners.

“In September Toowoomba hosts the Queensland Local Ambulance Committee conference followed in October by the Murray Darling Association annual conference and the Queensland Community Development conference. Planning has started to attract other major events in the coming year.

“Council’s Tourism and Events branch will continue to work closely with the Chamber and provide support to help co-ordinate coming events.

“An updated edition of the Toowoomba Conferences guide will be published soon, so existing members can be assured of ongoing promotion.

“This guide remains a valuable promotional tool when visiting trade shows or business functions. Other resources will be available on the Chamber website.”

Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Jo Sheppard said the Chamber was very pleased to have been given the opportunity to work with the local business community to attract more conferences to our region.

“There are so many reasons why Toowoomba is a fantastic conference destination and the Chamber will relish the opportunity to assist in driving growth in this sector,” she said.

“Business tourism has a significant flow-on effect across the local economy, bringing new business to a broad range of businesses across Toowoomba and our region.

“The Toowoomba Conferences contract is a perfect fit with the work Toowoomba Chamber already does in supporting the growth and engagement of our local business community.

“Individual businesses will benefit when the two separate membership organisations become one, with both Chamber membership and Toowoomba Conferences services to businesses falling under one membership.”