“This incentive rewarding Amway’s top performers from South Korea has been a huge logistical exercise to ensure delegates are wowed by, what will be for many, their first taste of Australia,” said Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) CEO Mark Olsen.
“Back-to-back charter flights with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines brought the delegates to Cairns with the groups taking over Shangri-La, The Marina Cairns for more than three weeks.
“Up to 14 Tropic Wings coaches and five limousines a day transferred groups to tours, events and their business program at the Cairns Convention Centre.
“Each group had two full days of touring taking in the Atherton Tablelands, Kuranda, the Daintree, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef enjoying wildlife experiences and nature, as well as golf and shopping.
“Fogarty Park alongside the hotel was transformed into a picnic-style festival for the afternoon of arrival allowing delegates to relax on deck chairs, listen to music and enjoy customised mocktails and local gelato.
“They met local animals including a koala, python, crocodile and lizard and joined Indigenous workshops to learn how to paint and throw a boomerang, make jewellery and watch a didgeridoo demonstration,” said Olsen.
“Hemingway’s Brewery hosted the welcome reception dinner with a band and fireworks and the Cairns Convention Centre was the venue for the final night’s gala dinner with a stunning rainforest-themed entrance to the event, a band, dancers and aerialists.”
Running for 22 days, the incentive has involved 20 charter flights and three-hour turnarounds of hotel rooms. The Shangri-La added more staff to service the needs of the event.
“We turned the rooms around in just three hours, did 900 breakfasts and then lunch for 450 at our events centre on the turnaround days,” said the hotel’s general manager, Golden Whitehead.
“Our team was well prepared for this logistical challenge and has successfully managed hotel buyouts with other groups in the past including Amway China.
“We have three Korean chefs on staff and the event organisers were very happy after doing a tasting of the menu they proposed. Kimchi was shipped in but everything else was sourced locally.
“Shangri-La The Marina Cairns did many extras for the delegates including keepsake room keys designed especially for Amway, an arrival minibar, local toys as gifts and locally produced arrival hampers.”
The event has supported by Australia’s national business events subvention fund, managed by Tourism Australia, and delivered a $13 million economic injection for Cairns.
“There is strong competition for these high yielding incentive groups which is why we are incredibly proud the 2025 Amway Korea Leadership Seminar was secured with the help of Tourism Australia’s Bid Fund Program,” said Tourism Australia’s acting managing director, Robin Mack.
Meanwhile industry powerhouse Arinex was the local DMC for Amway Korea, helping the direct selling organisation to organise their program on the ground.
“For the Amway Korea Seminar, we worked closely with local Cairns suppliers, weaving rich Indigenous culture throughout the program with deep respect for the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji and Yirrganydji people, the traditional custodians,” said Arinex CEO, Maree Di Pasquale.
“From interactive workshops to a fireworks spectacular set to Australian anthems in local Aboriginal languages, this program guaranteed delegates a profound Tropical North Queensland journey.
“Amway Korea’s thoughtful choices, which ensured the Seminar was highly sustainable, were perfectly aligned with the destination’s ethos and Arinex’s own values.”
