Travel Industry to make waves at wharf

Each year the company treats its best performers to an incentive trip, and this year it is Cooktown.

“The positive exposure we’ll get from so many travel agents coming here is a real boon to our tourist industry, so it’s vital everyone is at their friendliest,” Mayor Scott said.

“The dollar value we’ll get in good will be incalculable.

“We couldn’t afford an advertising campaign which would give us this much exposure.”

While Council will host the group to a reception at James Cook Museum between 5.45pm and 6.45pm on Saturday afternoon, AOT will fund a black-tie dinner for them all at Restaurant 1770 and the wharf.

And it’s not only a dinner the company is providing for its stars, it will also turn on a spectacular fireworks display from 8.30pm.

But all that will depend on the weather.

Restaurant 1770 proprietors Keith and Vicki Howick, who have leased the wharf for the night to cater for the function, said the occasion will provide an exciting spectacle for Cooktown.

“We’re just so excited about what having all those travel agents here can do for the whole town,” Keith Howick said.

“We might be doing the catering, but this is about the whole town and the benefits it will gain.”

And the Howicks have no illusions about the enormity of the task ahead of them on Saturday night.

“We can’t thank the people within our hospitality industry who have supported us enough,” Vicki Howick said.

“As well as our normal staff, we’ll need 15 wait staff to give the 5-star service those people deserve, and we’ve been lucky enough to have people and other businesses volunteer to come on board with us on the night to help out in whichever way they can.”

Their take-away business, Gill’d ‘n Gutt’d will still operate until 7pm, but will close a half-hour earlier.

Issue515 May 26th 2011