Travel writers hit Sunshine Coast

Around 150 members of the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) – including me – gathered on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast at the weekend for the society’s annual general meeting and convention.

Held at Novotel Twin Waters Resort, the convention included the chance for members to explore many aspects of the Sunshine Coast’s tourism offering. Other commitments meant I couldn’t stay for the pre- and post-famils, but I was very envious as social media feeds brimmed with images of what was happening – mountain hikes, horse-riding on the beach, fabulous picnics, bike rides along the foreshore…and more.

I was thrilled to be asked to act as MC for the two professional development days, where a terrific line-up of speakers inspired and informed us. Among them was Bruce Poon Tip, all the way from Vancouver, Canada. Bruce is the founder of G Adventures, a small group adventure travel company that has at its heart the desire to contribute to communities around the world that it works in. After delivering his keynote address, Poon Tip happily signed copies of his two books, the best-selling Looptail: How One Company Changed the World by Reinventing Business, and the latest, Do Big Small Things, a journal about life and travel that invites readers to share their own inspiration and creativity.

It was a fantastic weekend – and we were all thrilled to hear that our 2018 convention will be held in Thailand!