web: www.missionbeachtourism.com

Mission Beach Visitor Centre

Manager’s Report December 2^nd 2008

• Visitor numbers for October were 3,420 compared to 2368 in 2007, and in November we had 2,025 compared to 1396 in 2007.  The breakdown of Visitors numbers and monthly comparison is attached.
• We experienced a 13.6 % decrease in souvenir and 15.9 % decrease in tour commission sales and a 141.4%.increase in accommodation commission
• Karen our new Marketing Manager has been working hard with several new Members to add to our growing Membership base.  Welcome to Tully News and Casket, Boutique Maree, Flowers and Home at Tully, The Hotel Cairns, Whitehaven Xpress.
• Staff and volunteers recently underwent Fire Safety training with Adam from Queensland fire Service and Emergency First Aid procedures with Simon from Qld Ambulance.  This was followed by a Fire Safety Inspection which the Centre passed.  All business must have their staff trained in Fire Safety Procedures and our Firies are pleased to help out in this area.  Please contact them on 4061 0610.
• With the Stinger season upon us again we have resurrected Brian the Box Jelly and have placed him back on the counter for display.  Simon from Qld Ambulance very kindly supplied us with some excellent posters on stings and treatments which are also on display at the Centre
• Cassowary Coast Regional Council disaster management have given us several large Qld Cyclone tracking maps, this is also on display and available to any business who would like one.
• Tropical Tablelands Tourism very generously hosted staff from three of the Visitor Information Centres from the Cassowary Coast, Cardwell, Tully and Mission Beach.  Garrie Douglas the Marketing Manager from TTT was our guide and showed us the wealth of attractions and high quality facilities across the Tablelands region.  Thank you to The Falls Teahouse, Grandview Country Retreat, Nerada Tea Estates, Malanda Dairy Centre, Eden House Retreat and Mountain Spa, Nicks Restaurant, Allawah Retreat, Atherton Antiques, Australian Coffee Centre, Tazalli Lakes Aquaculture Centre, Jaques Coffee Plantation, Mareeba Wetlands, Gallo’s Cheese and Chocolates, Tolga woodworks, Cedar Park Rainforest Resort, Golden Drop Winery, Raging Thunder Ballooning, Atherton Bluegum, Kuranda Hotel/Motel, their hospitality was outstanding and having experienced their product will help us to recommend them to the many visitors who travel through our region.  We look forward to hosting a reciprocal visit to the Cassowary Coast by Tablelands personnel in 2009.
• Other famils in November were, Voyages Dunk Island and Dunk Island Ferry Service – a huge thankyou to Management and Staff for a spectacular day.  And the Bingil Bay full day famil was extremely enlighting, thank you to The Sanctuary Retreat, Treehouse YHA, Connors Corner, Bingil Tropical Retreat, Sealords B & B.  We also had a late afternoon famil of Mission Reef Resort showcasing their brand new units which was followed by a sumptuous Chinese banquet.  All famils are co-joined with the other Visitor Information Centres of the Cassowary Coast and arranged by the Mission Beach Visitor Information Centre. 
• Thank you to all members who have contributed so very kindly towards the Volunteers Xmas Party, your generosity is outstanding.
• A new computer was installed in the office and the old unit is now in the shop and is used for Internet service for Visitor use with a standard fee applied.
• November was clean up day at the Centre which was a huge success with 30 people arriving to lend a hand.  This was a joint effort with our neighbours C4 and followed by refreshments.
• A brochures recycling container has been added to the shop to encouraged people to leave their unwanted brochures with us.  This is a great way to utilize expensive brochures and also helps us to identify other new and useful information that we don’t have.