Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Questions need to be answered

It's been a tumultuous year at Tourism Whitsundays and some very important questions need to be answered at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Disclosure
How much money has been reimbursed to Tourism Whitsundays' Directors businesses for 'services rendered'?
(Supplementary)
What were those services rendered and how much were they?
Did TW get quotes from other businesses for services that were provided by TW Directors?
Did TW, the Whitsundays ratepayers, and the QLD taxpayers get 'value for money' for the services rendered by the Directors businesses?

Dive Wreck Trail
At last years AGM, you advised that the Dive Wreck Trail campaign was going to be one of the saviours of tourism in the Whitsundays - how is that campaign going?
(Supplementary)
How much money has been spent on the Dive Wreck Trail campaign?
The TW Destinations Manager was in charge of this campaign - how many dive companies have left the Whitsundays during his tenure?

More flights to the Whitsundays
At last years AGM, you advised that the campaign to get more flights to the Whitsundays was in full swing and handled personally by the CEO, Mr Peter O'Reilly - how has that campaign progressed?
(Supplementary)
It is believed that $50,000 has been spent on the campaign - how was that money spent?
Why were some Directors of TW (Kelli Medford, John Aquillina) publicly bagging the airlines at the same time as the CEO was trying to impress the airlines?
Why was Mr O'Reilly's 'other half' bagging Jetstar at the same time that Mr O'Reilly was supposedly trying to woo them?
Since the beginning of the campaign, we have actually seen a reduction in flights - did TW and the Queensland taxpayers get value for their money?

Tourism Awards
Airlie Beach used to be 'the Backpackers Town'. Last years Tourism Awards saw no one enter the Backpackers division, yet there are many backpackers in the Whitsundays? Why do you think this is so?
(Supplementary)
Over 55% (18/32) of the Awards either had no entries or only 1 entrant - is that really an award for being the best?

Lack of Unity
The lack of unity in TW has been quite obvious. Recently, the Chairman of Tourism Whitsundays, Mr Chris Jacobs, pleaded for the town to unite behind him, when at the same time, Cruise Whitsundays (owned by Mr Jacobs), has a 'wharf brawl' with Fantasea Ferries at Abel Point - are we supoosed to do as he says, not do as he does?

Rogue Campaigns - eBay
Earlier this year, a Director of TW, Mr John Nayler, ran a campaign on eBay, selling shopping vouchers (ex TW Chairwoman's shops) and a few sailing trips. The shopping vouchers failed to reach 50% of their value. Did TW sanction this campaign?
(Supplementary)
Did anyone think that selling holidays & cruises on eBay may be downgrading the region and unravel all the '$400 million free publicity" of the 5 star image of the Whitsundays by the World's Best Job campaign?

More Failed campaigns
The Airlie Beach Apartment Giveaway was a complete flop (several of the people in the eBay scheme, including Mr Nayler, were also involved in this disaster). How much money was reimbursed to the organizers of this campaign, and for what services?
(Supplementary)
The recent Accommodation Giveaway promoted by TW on its Facebook webpage appears to have been judged under the influence of alcohol, and a winner was picked allegedly outside of the rules. Who is running these embarrassing campaigns?
Does TW condone the use of drugs and or alcohol on the premises during work hours?
Do any of the staff at TW have a problem with drugs and or alcohol?

Tenders
Tourism Whitsundays were recently given $420,000 by the QLD Department of Tourism for a website - 100% QLD taxpayers money. What tender processes were used to determine the winner/s of this project?
(Supplementary)
Do any of the 'website project' winners have any association with Tourism Whitsundays?

Politics
The ALP candidate for Dawson (now back again as the Mayor for Whitsundays RC), Mike Brunker, said on ABC Radio, that. "it was disgraceful to politicize a Not for Profit organization." - why does TW only want to be seen with Labor Party politicians and wannabees?
(Supplementary)
Do any of TW's management or directors have any political aspirations and are using TW's resources to help fulfil them?
Isn't aligning TW to the Labor Party, especially in these unpopular times, a high risk?

Popularity
Images in the local newspaper of Tourism Whitsundays directors and Management with Labor Party politicians and wannabees were only taken in Airlie Beach, which is also where the ALP had one of the biggest swings against it - over half deserted in just 12 months.
Do TW recognise that the huge swings against the ALP at the Airlie Beach & Cannonvale booths are voters recognizing there is a link between TW and the ALP, and they expressed their disappointment with the current tourism management in the Whitsundays at the voting booth?

Marketing
The current 'Season of Sailing' campaign again focuses on Hamilton Island and other islands - Why does TW continue to neglect marketing Airlie Beach, which has hundreds of businesses by hundreds of families, and continue to just plug Hamilton Island, which is owned by one family?

Membership
At the beginning of the year, TW pleaded for several months for more members. As soon as it was announced that TW would receive $350,000 from Whitsunday Council, and $420,000 from the QLD Department of Tourism, the membership drive ceased. Did TW have to reach a certain number of members to be eligible for the funding?
(Supplementary)
How many of those memberships are free?
How many have been duplicated?
Why has the membership drive ceased so suddenly?
How many members actually have voting rights?


The AGM for Tourism Whitsunday is next Tuesday, 23 September, at the Reef Gateway Hotel.

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