General News
21 November, 2025
Amway brings $13m boost
AN army of Korean Amway delegates have started arriving in Cairns for a leadership seminar which is expected to boost the region’s coffers to the tune of $13 million.
About 2800 Amway Korea delegates are arriving in five waves on 20 charter flights from 17 November to 7 December.
To make them feel at home, 2200kg of kimchi has been imported from Korea as well as 140 Korean-speaking staff from Korea and Sydney are in Cairns.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) chief executive officer Mark Olsen said the lucrative international business event would continuously bring groups of around 450 to 500 delegates on four-night itineraries across 22 days.
“This incentive rewarding Amway’s top performers from South Korea has been a huge logistical exercise to ensure delegates are wowed by, what will be for many, their first taste of Australia,” he said.
“Back-to-back charter flights with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will bring the delegates to Cairns with the groups taking over Shangri-La, The Marina Cairns for more than three weeks.
“Up to 14 Tropic Wings coaches and five limousines a day will transfer groups to tours, events and their business program at the Cairns Convention Centre.
“Each group will enjoy two full days of touring taking in the Atherton Tablelands, Kuranda, the Daintree, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef, enjoying wildlife experiences and nature, as well as golf and shopping.
“Fogarty Park will be transformed into a picnic-style festival for the afternoon of arrival so delegates can relax on deck chairs, listen to music, enjoy customised mocktails and local gelato.
“Hemingway’s Brewery will host the welcome reception dinner with a band and fireworks and the Cairns Convention Centre is the venue for the final night’s gala dinner with a stunning rainforest-themed entrance to the event, a band, dancers and aerialists.”
Shangri-La The Marina Cairns general manager Golden Whitehead said additional staff had been added to smoothly manage the event’s 5536 room nights which include three-hour turnarounds of the rooms between the departure of one wave and the arrival of the next.
“We need to turn the rooms around in just three hours, do 900 breakfasts and then lunch for 450 at our events centre on the turnaround days,” he said.
