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    <title>Cairns Info.com Tourism News</title>
    <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/</link>
    <description>Latest tourism news for Cairns and surrounding areas direct from the industry.</description>
    <copyright>Copyright 2008 Travstar.com Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.</copyright>    
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        <title>Poseidon Rescue Fishermen</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#5301</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Two Port Douglas men, including local business and sports identity Steve Mulqueen, had been fishing on board a 5.5m recreational vessel when a wave swamped the boat near Pratt Rock, northeast of Port Douglas, about 4.30am on Saturday.
Yesterday, owner of commercial dive boat Poseidon, Peter Wright, said the dramatic rescue operation began after an orange flare was spotted about 10am.&quot;We often recover debris &amp;amp; other floating bits and pieces, but never&amp;nbsp; live people,&quot; he said.
The men got into trouble when a freak wave came over the back of their boat, and it was then hit by a second wave which forced them to abandon ship. The men grabbed life jackets and flares before they jumped clear. Mr Wright was on board when Poseidon skipper, Richard Taylor, spotted what he thought was an orange smoke signal, off to the starboard side, about 22 nautical miles off Port Douglas.
&quot;After going toward the smoke for a few miles, two men were sighted hanging on to a large red Esky in the water,&quot; Mr Wright said. Both men were wearing life jackets and appeared fairly calm. &quot;They were quite cold, given theyd been in the water in just a T-shirt and shorts,&quot; he said. &quot;It was very fortunate they had the foresight to grab the flares container. They didnt require medical attention so they stayed on the boat and we gave them a good feed and hot shower until we arrived back at 4.30pm.&quot;
The two men involved in the ocean rescue were not available yesterday. However, the wife of one of the men told The Cairns Post her husband was healthy and in good spirits and had thanked the crew of Poseidon for their actions.         ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Thursday, November 24 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>Multi - million dollar new look</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#5247</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        The multi - million dollar new look and upgrade to the Cairns Queenslander Apartments has commenced. The property upgrade taking place will have no impact on existing guest services and facilities, as this building is separated by land title from the Cairns Queenslanders most popular room types the Hibiscus Suites and Two Bedroom Apartments which remain open for business. Entrance and reception for the Cairns Queenslander has been relocated to 22 Diggers Street, (corner of Digger &amp;amp; Charles Streets). Throughout this exciting development Cairns Queenslander Apts will continue to service its guests with affordable self-catering accommodation and excellent dining options at Diggers Restaurant. The New look Cairns Queenslander Apartments &amp;amp; New Restaurant opening June 2012.         ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Friday, November 04 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>The whale season is still booming</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4927</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        The whale season is still booming and we've been spotting whales regularly on our way to and from Moore Reef!So get your customers excited as there is so much more fun waiting for them at the Sunlover Pontoon!!Your Sunlover Team        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Friday, July 29 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>Pullman Cairns first hotel in Australia to introduce Optimum</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4819</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Pullman Cairns first hotel in Australia to introduce Optimum Service Standards to boost Chinese inbound market 
The Pullman Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns has been announced as the first hotel to be accredited to Accors new Optimum Service Standards for Chinese Visitation, paving the way for the hotel to attract greater numbers of Chinese visitors to North Queensland. 
The formal accreditation follows yesterdays announcement in Cairns by Federal Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson, of a new 10-year strategic plan aimed at boosting Chinas inbound tourism to Australia. He extolled the tourism industry to more actively cater for the Chinese market, which is the fastest growing inbound market for Australia, and already worth over $3 billion a year to the economy. 
Earlier this year, Accor  Australias largest hotel group with 150 hotels under brands such as Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel and Mercure  announced that it would implement an Optimum Services Standards program for hotels in its group that aimed to attract large-scale visitation from the Chinese and Indian markets. It involved hotels implementing a wide range of services to cater for the specific needs of these two growth markets, and only hotels that met (and maintained) these standards would be accredited to pitch for this business. 
Recognising the potential of Chinese inbound for the Cairns and Tropical North Queensland markets, the Pullman has led the way with adopting services to meet the needs of the emerging China market. These include translation of in-room collateral and the Welcome Kit to Mandarin, Mandarin speaking staff available to handle guest queries, all reception staff trained to give basic greetings in Mandarin, Chinese breakfast and mini-bar items, green tea and comfort items such as slippers. 
In addition, the Pullman has implemented training for all staff on Chinese cultural practices, so that they can better understand the specific needs and requirements of Chinese travelers. 
Commenting on the accreditation, Pullman General Manager, Adrian Williams, said that he was very pleased that his hotel was playing a pioneering role in the national push for more Chinese inbound tourists. 
The growth in Chinese inbound isnt new, but the pace of the growth highlights the need for the industry to really look at what is being provided for Chinese travelers and to enhance the offer, because this market represents a significant future for our tourism industry, said Mr Williams. 
Many of the measures under the Optimum Service Standards program are fairly straightforward, but it sends a strong signal to Chinese operators that Australia is not only welcoming their clients, but going out of their way to ensure they feel as comfortable as possible when they are here. 
Cairns and far North Queensland have so much potential for this market. The Great Barrier Reef is the primary draw-card, but Cairns has many other attractions  natural and man-made  that our ideal for Chinese tourists. The climate is appealing, our infrastructure is well developed, there is good shopping and entertainment, high quality restaurants, and our prices are very competitive. 
It was very encouraging that Tourism Minister Ferguson chose Cairns to launch the new China strategy here in Cairns, so it is now up to us operators to translate the strategy into action on the ground. 
The Optimum Service Standards will hopefully lead other TNQ operators to follow suit and really look at the specific needs of Chinese travelers. 
Pullman Reef Casino Cairns is the largest hotel, tourism and entertainment complex in Far North Queensland, offering 5-star accommodation, the award-winning Tamarind restaurant, the Cairns Wildlife Dome (where visitors can see Australian wildlife icons such as kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles), a range of cafes, bars and shopping, and the Reef Casino.         ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Monday, June 27 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>WHALES! WHALES! WHALES!</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#1244</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        What a wonderful time of year to be visiting Port Douglas! Visitors to our region are being thrilled with amazing encounters with these fabulous creatures.&amp;nbsp; Passengers on board Poseidon are&amp;nbsp;spending time in the water with Dwarf Minke Whales.&amp;nbsp; A record 14,000 Humpback Whales are heading up the coast this year to breed and some boats have spotted small herds already. 

The Minke's&amp;nbsp;visit boats during stationary time at the mooring sites.&amp;nbsp; Passengers are having the opportunity to jump in and swim with the Minke's, having close up, personal encounters.&amp;nbsp; The Minke's will stay around this region until the end of September.
As the whale season kicks in we expect to see Pods of Humpback Whales on the journey to and from Agincourt Reefs.&amp;nbsp; Last year we were stopping to watch pods of up to 5 whales at a time.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Whales obviously enjoy these encounters as they display playful acts of tail slapping and breaching.
If you have not been to the reef,&amp;nbsp;this is the&amp;nbsp;time to get out there and see these animals while the weather is great with clear water and lots of marine activity.
Inspire the Experience!        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Monday, May 30 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>Newest Reef Location Opening</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4719</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Passions of Paradise is proud to announce the official opening of our newest reef location  Long Bommie!&amp;nbsp; Long Bommie is 200 meters long and offers amazing swim throughs, pristine corals and a spectacular array of marine life.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Recently some of our certified divers and participants on our agents day have been the only passengers able to experience this new site. Now that our new mooring is complete we are able to give all passengers access to a truly untouched reef location!&amp;nbsp;Passions now boasts two exclusive reef locations, Long Bommie and Paradise Reef along with our Michaelmas Cay destination!&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Passions of Paradise&amp;nbsp;will have a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at Long Bommie on Wednesdays trip and complimentary champagne will be flowing on the return trip for all passengers on board!         ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Monday, May 30 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>Port Douglas Carnivale 19th-29th May</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4655</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Port Douglas Carnivale 19th-29th MayUpdated: 04-Mar-2011 

Theres music, arts, sports, food, culture and all styles of entertainmentand absolutely every reason you need to hang out in Port Douglas!
For 10 balmy days and nights each May (May&amp;nbsp;19th - 29th 2011), the festival of Carnivale takes over the seaside resort village of Port Douglas offering a chance to flirt with life and engage in a kalidescope of free and ticketed events.
Now 18 years old, Carnivale has grown from a street fiesta to a broad program which involves the entire community.
There are family favourites like the Street Parade, the Seafood Extravaganza,&amp;nbsp; the Four Mile Beach Day and the AME Bullride Spectacular.&amp;nbsp; Get a taste of the tropics at the Sheraton Mirage Longest lunch, The Food, Wine &amp;amp; A Taste of Port Event, or eat out on Wharf street at the new Plates Of Port event.&amp;nbsp; Sports lovers can play in the Port Douglas Golf Challenge held at Sea Temple Golf Club and Mirage Country Club, or catch the action in the Exemplar Clipper Cup regatta.It's still early days and many events dates are yet to be confirmed.&amp;nbsp; The following events for the 2011 programme are confirmed.&amp;nbsp; 
19th May:&amp;nbsp; Carnivale Club Comedy Night at Sugar Wharf20th May:&amp;nbsp; Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch20th May:&amp;nbsp; Carnivale Street Parade20th May:&amp;nbsp; Opening Gala at Sugar Wharf21st May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup21st May:&amp;nbsp; Airing of the Quilts21st May:&amp;nbsp; Bulls Masters T20 Games21st May:&amp;nbsp; Food, Wine and a Taste of Port22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Wildlife Wonderland22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Seafood Extravaganza22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Carnivale Market Day22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Airing of the Quilts23rd May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Golf Challenge Perpetual Trophy24th May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Golf Challenge Perpetual Trophy25th May:&amp;nbsp; Fashion Retailers Showcase and Wine Tasting at the Sugar Wharf26th May:&amp;nbsp; Neil Murray Live in Concert at the Clink Theatre27th May:&amp;nbsp; Food Fight and Wharf St Food Fair28th May:&amp;nbsp; Four Mile Beach Day28th May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup28th May:&amp;nbsp; Daintree Station Bullride Spectacular28th May:&amp;nbsp; Douglas Songwriters Challenge Grand Finale at Carnivale Club28th May:&amp;nbsp; Palates of Port28th May:&amp;nbsp; Theatre Sports Competition at the Clink29th May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Carnivale Market Day29th May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup29th May:&amp;nbsp; RRR Mountain Bike Challenge29th May:&amp;nbsp; Coral Coast Triathlon29th May:&amp;nbsp; Greaat Barrier Reef Ocean ChallengeLast year, Port Douglas welcomed thousands visitors from Australia and overseas who partied with the locals of the village under the clear blue skies of May and found, as those who live there already know, there is much to celebrate here.
Carnivale Facts:
Getting there:&amp;nbsp; Qantas, Virgin Blue and Jetstar have daily flights to Cairns. Express Chauffer Coaches offer transfers between Cairns and Port Douglas.&amp;nbsp; www.portdouglasinfo.com&amp;nbsp;
will be happy to arrange your accommodation and transfers.&amp;nbsp; Skysafari can arrange helicopter transfers from Cairns to Port Douglas.
Further info:Port Douglas Carnivale, (May&amp;nbsp;19th - 29th 2011),&amp;nbsp;Email: info@carnivale.com.au&amp;nbsp; Web:&amp;nbsp; www.carnivale.com.au        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Thursday, May 05 2011</pubDate>
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        <title>Coral Coast Triathlon 29th May</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4656</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Coral Coast Triathlon 29th MayUpdated: 04-Mar-2011 
CORAL COAST TRIATHLONThe Coral Coast Triathlon is a tradition in Tropical North Queensland that will join the Challenge Cairns festival of events for the first time in 2011.&amp;nbsp; Taking place the weekend prior on the 28th-29th May 2011, the Coral Coast Triathlon starts and finishes in the paradise of Port Douglas with a course featuring Four Mile Beach.&amp;nbsp; Olympic, Sprint and Enticer distance options will be available for both individuals and teams.        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Thursday, May 05 2011</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title>Coral Coast Triathlon 29th May</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4657</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Coral Coast Triathlon 29th MayUpdated: 04-Mar-2011 
CORAL COAST TRIATHLONThe Coral Coast Triathlon is a tradition in Tropical North Queensland that will join the Challenge Cairns festival of events for the first time in 2011.&amp;nbsp; Taking place the weekend prior on the 28th-29th May 2011, the Coral Coast Triathlon starts and finishes in the paradise of Port Douglas with a course featuring Four Mile Beach.&amp;nbsp; Olympic, Sprint and Enticer distance options will be available for both individuals and teams.        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Thursday, May 05 2011</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title>Port Douglas Carnivale 19th - 29th May</title>
        <link>http://www.cairnsinfo.com/news.php#4658</link>
        <description><![CDATA[
        Port Douglas Carnivale 19th-29th MayUpdated: 04-Mar-2011 

Theres music, arts, sports, food, culture and all styles of entertainmentand absolutely every reason you need to hang out in Port Douglas!
For 10 balmy days and nights each May (May&amp;nbsp;19th - 29th 2011), the festival of Carnivale takes over the seaside resort village of Port Douglas offering a chance to flirt with life and engage in a kalidescope of free and ticketed events.
Now 18 years old, Carnivale has grown from a street fiesta to a broad program which involves the entire community.
There are family favourites like the Street Parade, the Seafood Extravaganza,&amp;nbsp; the Four Mile Beach Day and the AME Bullride Spectacular.&amp;nbsp; Get a taste of the tropics at the Sheraton Mirage Longest lunch, The Food, Wine &amp;amp; A Taste of Port Event, or eat out on Wharf street at the new Plates Of Port event.&amp;nbsp; Sports lovers can play in the Port Douglas Golf Challenge held at Sea Temple Golf Club and Mirage Country Club, or catch the action in the Exemplar Clipper Cup regatta.It's still early days and many events dates are yet to be confirmed.&amp;nbsp; The following events for the 2011 programme are confirmed.&amp;nbsp; 
19th May:&amp;nbsp; Carnivale Club Comedy Night at Sugar Wharf20th May:&amp;nbsp; Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch20th May:&amp;nbsp; Carnivale Street Parade20th May:&amp;nbsp; Opening Gala at Sugar Wharf21st May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup21st May:&amp;nbsp; Airing of the Quilts21st May:&amp;nbsp; Bulls Masters T20 Games21st May:&amp;nbsp; Food, Wine and a Taste of Port22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Wildlife Wonderland22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Seafood Extravaganza22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Carnivale Market Day22nd May:&amp;nbsp; Airing of the Quilts23rd May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Golf Challenge Perpetual Trophy24th May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Golf Challenge Perpetual Trophy25th May:&amp;nbsp; Fashion Retailers Showcase and Wine Tasting at the Sugar Wharf26th May:&amp;nbsp; Neil Murray Live in Concert at the Clink Theatre27th May:&amp;nbsp; Food Fight and Wharf St Food Fair28th May:&amp;nbsp; Four Mile Beach Day28th May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup28th May:&amp;nbsp; Daintree Station Bullride Spectacular28th May:&amp;nbsp; Douglas Songwriters Challenge Grand Finale at Carnivale Club28th May:&amp;nbsp; Palates of Port28th May:&amp;nbsp; Theatre Sports Competition at the Clink29th May:&amp;nbsp; Port Douglas Carnivale Market Day29th May:&amp;nbsp; Exemplar Clipper Cup29th May:&amp;nbsp; RRR Mountain Bike Challenge29th May:&amp;nbsp; Coral Coast Triathlon29th May:&amp;nbsp; Greaat Barrier Reef Ocean ChallengeLast year, Port Douglas welcomed thousands visitors from Australia and overseas who partied with the locals of the village under the clear blue skies of May and found, as those who live there already know, there is much to celebrate here.
Carnivale Facts:
Getting there:&amp;nbsp; Qantas, Virgin Blue and Jetstar have daily flights to Cairns. Express Chauffer Coaches offer transfers between Cairns and Port Douglas.&amp;nbsp; www.portdouglasinfo.com&amp;nbsp;
will be happy to arrange your accommodation and transfers.&amp;nbsp; Skysafari can arrange helicopter transfers from Cairns to Port Douglas.
Further info:Port Douglas Carnivale, (May&amp;nbsp;19th - 29th 2011),&amp;nbsp;Email: info@carnivale.com.au&amp;nbsp; Web:&amp;nbsp; www.carnivale.com.au        ]]></description>
        <pubDate>Thursday, May 05 2011</pubDate>
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