Tourism - a strong and hopeful future
Cairns is one of few places in the world where two World Heritage areas meet. We are the gateway to many amazing sights, experiences and big nature on both land and sea. We have an advantage over many of our competitor destinations because our natural assets are unique, significant and have timeless appeal.
Confidence in the future of the tourism and industry in Cairns can be seen in the substantial works which have taken around Cairns in recent years, which has also created opportunities in the construction industry.
The Cairns Convention Centre, our biggest venue for conferences and conventions, recently underwent significant expansion and refurbishment. The 10,000sqm expansion by the Queensland Government includes significant increases in capacity and upgrades to meeting spaces in the existing centre.
Similarly the iconic Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct also received a recent facelift, creating a unique tropical dining experience for our residents and visitors.
There are also exciting projects in the pipeline such as the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park expansion to accommodate approx. 80km of trails, and the Wangetti trail which will see Cairns and Port Douglas connected with an iconic trail for bikes and walkers.
Cairns also attracts and is home to thrilling major sporting and cultural events throughout the year, including Crankworx, Cairns IRONMAN, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), Understory Film Festival, Cairns Italian Festival, Shine on Gimuy, and the Cairns EcoFiesta. There is always something happening in Cairns!