Australia’s Gold Coast’s destination marketing body, Destination Gold Coast, has been assimilated into newly-formed mega body, Experience Gold Coast.
Experience Gold Coast is the amalgamation of Destination Gold Coast, Study Gold Coast, Major Events Gold Coast, Home of the Arts and Placemakers. From September 4, 2023, the activities of each of the five existing entities will be delivered under the umbrella of Experience Gold Coast. Destination Gold Coast will retain its brand and remain operating under this name.
The proposal to move under the umbrella of Experience Gold Coast was endorsed and put forward by the Destination Gold Coast Board during the recent Extraordinary General Meeting, which saw more than 200 members vote in favour of the proposal.
Destination Gold Coast’s chair Adrienne Readings said the proposal is in the best interests of the Gold Coast, Destination Gold Coast, and its members, who “resoundingly backed” the vote. This marks an “important part of history for Destination Gold Coast as an independent membership-based organisation for over 47 years”, she noted.
“By aligning with Experience Gold Coast, Destination Gold Coast is going to be part of a stronger and broader organisation dedicated to growing the visitor economy.
“The improved visitor economy co-ordination across tourism, education, events and arts and culture is going to be a critical point of inflection for the city in rebuilding an even stronger strategy for the future of the Gold Coast,” Readings said.
Destination Gold Coast’s interim chief operating officer, Rachel Hancock, said the entity will continue to play the most critical role in driving visitation through marketing, sales, and trade activations.
She shared: “Destination Gold Coast remains focused on the rebuild of the city’s visitor economy under a three-horizon strategy designed to continue growth towards the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Our 2023/24 Action Plan is underway and was backed by council earlier this year with additional funds to support aviation attraction and business events subvention. With this endorsement, we’re not taking our foot off the pedal as we re-establish market share.”
