by Sam Cullen
Managing Director Newsport Publishing

For decades Cairns residents have spoiled themselves with a weekend away in Port Douglas.

Now, as traditional tourism struggles to deliver year round ‘bums in beds,’ Port Douglas has turned its focus to its big brother to help make ends meet.
 
Ten years ago we struggled to accommodate a two night stay into our normal booking calendar, we traditionally had such significant demand for five to nine night stays throughout the year.  Unfortunately with increased supply of rooms and an ever shortening long haul (UK and US international) market Port Douglas has found itself being the victim of its own success.
 
As we know things have changed dramatically in the tourism landscape, and Port Douglas, like other sophisticated postcodes around Australia (and the world), are realising that their closest city can offer them great support. 

Mooloolaba and Noosa have been saved by their response to Brisbane's basic needs as has Byron Bay with its proximity to the Gold Coast and Sydney.
 
The big question is, can Port Douglas deliver to the regional market?  The resounding answer is 'of course it can - it's a top 5 Australian destination,' but in a competitive regional market it is going to have to work very hard at it.

It is going to have to work as a collective. With so many day trip options evolving over the last decade to facilitate the Cairns holiday visitor, Cairns and Tableland locals have a plethora of options available to them.

The Tablelands have always offered Cairns residents a kaleidoscope of romantic getaways from the hustle and bustle of the suburbs. Mission Beach, Etty Bay and Tully Heads are perfect settings for a beachside getaway.

Read more of today's news on The Newsport
 
For Port Douglas to advance upon its most popular Cairns getaway weekend, The Port Douglas Carnivale, it is going to have to simply paint the walls with affordable Port Douglas experiences in Cairns, Mareeba and Atherton to entice these already happy campers away from their traditional haunts and bring them tumbling into Macrossan Street. 

As disliked as discounting is to those in the industry, battling to maintain rates, real value adding or quality product hooks will be required to re-direct the current course of Cairns weekend warriors.
 
Ever since the birth of Port Douglas' own self-titled magazine there has been the intention of making the publication stand out and away from the crowd of free brochure orientated predecessors.

Its philosophy was to deliver all things Port Douglas via a special combination of editorial review, simple, yet sophisticated quality of layout and photography, right down to the texture of the pages and specifically customised advertising.
 
Whist the magazine in its early editions satisfied its readers and clients as a post arrival information and souvenir publication, the realisation that Port Douglas, in lieu of a booming international market, needs to invest in stimulating its regional bloodlines, the PORT DOUGLAS Magazine set about bringing the magazine into the homes of FNQ. 

The launch of Edition 8 at the end of July will celebrate the distribution of the magazine via all Coles and Bi Lo Supermarkets from Cooktown to Innisfail and inland as far as Mt Isa. This is the first time a destination branded publication has achieved mainstream recognition.
 
Having Coles as a distribution partner in Far North Queensland consolidates that Port Douglas as a destination resonates with the regional community. Its reputation has stood the test of time with international natural icons such as Flagstaff Hill, Macrossan Street, Four Mile Beach, the Port Douglas Waterfront, not to mention its unparalleled access to Mossman Gorge, Cape Tribulation, the Outer Barrier Reefs, the idyllic Low Isles, Mackay and Undine sand cays.
 
Securing Coles Supermarkets distribution will allow Port Douglas businesses, wanting to persuade their fellow FNQ residents to come relax, stay, play, wine, dine, shop, and be entertained, to do it in the pages of Port Douglas very own lifestyle self-titled magazine.
 
The PORT DOUGLAS Magazine as of August 1 will be accessible to over 200,000 regional residents seven days a week inside Australia largest supermarket chain, and this is just the beginning!

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