When people ask me about my job and are told that I am in the Tourism Industry, their first remark is usually, “So you must travel a lot!” Unfortunately, that's not always the case. But we do get some rare opportunities for visiting far off lands with Incentive groups or on Familiarization trips. I completed the Aussie Specialist programme in February 2008 which qualified me as an Australia Tourism Specialist and also gave me a chance to be eligible for a Familiarization tour to Australia. Twenty eligible agents including myself were chosen by Tourism Australia to participate in this tour. These Famils, as they are called, are organized each year by the Australian Tourism Board and Aussie Specialist agents are selected to visit the country. This includes a lot of touring and site inspections. We are also introduced to new tourism products which they wish to promote.

Our 10-day adventure included Brisbane and Gold Coast in Queensland and Sydney in New South Wales. Queensland is known as the Sunshine State - "Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next." We arrived at the Brisbane Airport where we were met by our lively, mischievous and lovable Tourism Queensland Representative – Ms. Anne Miller. I have never met a lady like her who makes you feel so comfortable and at home right from the first meeting. She was with us throughout the tours of Brisbane and Gold Coast.She also went out of her way to arrange some site inspections and touring that we wished to do but were not mentioned in our schedule. Our first city was Brisbane. Young and vibrant, Brisbane lies at the heart of one of the most diverse and popular holiday regions in Australia and enjoys an enviable climate of warm, bright summers and clear, mild winters -making Brisbane an ideal place to visit all year round. The city lies on the banks of the serpentine Brisbane River, a colourful waterway for high-speed ferries, paddlewheelers and pleasure boats. Just over the bridge from the Central Business District, the South Bank area has all the fun, festivity, art and culture on the south bank of the Brisbane River.

There you will find the Queensland Performing Arts Complex, State Library, Queensland Art Gallery and Museum. Not to miss out is the Brisbane Eye,which is 61 metres tall and gives you a great view of the city as it moves. The entry charge is around 15 Australian Doller for a ride. South Bank Parklands on the Brisbane River is home to restaurants, cafes, the Maritime Museum and a real sandy beach and lagoon - all with a city backdrop. Certain must-do's in Brisbane are taking a quick trip on the City Cat cruise, visiting the Botanical Gardens in front of the Parliament building, shopping for souvenirs at Queen Street Mall which has a variety of small restaurants, pubs, grub corners, coffee shops, a movie theatre and a cell phone store. Brisbane has a number of bridges with the most popular being Kangaroo Bridge and Story Bridge. A popular recreational activity is the Story Bridge Adventure Climb. For shoppers with a budget, Brunswick Street is amazing with a China Town and Flea Market open on Saturdays and Sundays. The first night we stayed at the Sofitel Brisbane - located in the City Centre and linked directly to the train station. Our first day started with a short city tour of Brisbane and then we headed to the Holt Street Warf to take a 1 hour and 15 minutes ferry ride to reach Tangalooma.

Chad Croft from Tangalooma was there to receive us and update us about his property, the Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort. It is on Moreton Island and surrounded by crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches and untouched national parks. With over 75 tours and activities on offer, the resort is a perfect destination for guests seeking an action packed, educational, nature based or relaxing experience. In fact it is the only resort where all guests get the opportunity to feed the wild Bottlenose Dolphins. This activity takes place each day in the evening. After an amazing Indian meal, we headed to enjoy our Quad Bike ride from the beach up to the top of Moreton Island - a sand island - and coming down another way. It costs approximately AUD 40 but is definitely a must - do here. Later in the evening we walked towards the well lit Jetty to participate in the dolphin-feeding activity where these wild dolphins come really close to the shore, giving visitors a chance to feed them.

From Tangalooma, our next halt was at Gold Coast. Gold Coast is a fantastic place not just for those who want to relax and wander around but also for those who wish to have an action packed holiday full of fun activities. With miles of surf beach, lush green rainforest, world-class golfing greens, world-famous theme parks and with every kind of accommodation from exclusive 5-star hotels to sunny beachside apartments - that's the Gold Coast. The most iconic building there is the Q1 which is the tallest residential tower in the world and ideally located right on Surfers Paradise. It is 322.5 metres high with 80 levels. Inspirational, breathtaking and stunning, it offers luxury one, two and three bedroom apartment accommodation with unique glass balconies. The Q Deck, which is the observatory, is on level 77 from where one gets a panoramic view of Gold Coast. Level 78 features the Skylight Room, which is available for unique functions and events. Some of the important areas in Gold Coast are the Broadbeach area and Surfers Paradise. Broadbeach is more relaxed, with the famous casino-hotel Conrad Jupiters. Surfers Paradise, on the other hand, is very lively with many shops, a wide range of accommodation, a beach which is great for surfing and countless entertainment options such as a Reverse Bungee Arena, a 0 -5 Bar and Dracula's Cabaret Restaurant. Q1 - The Tallest Residential Tower in the World

To be continued

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