Strategically timed events are the key to extending the region's tourism seasons in years to come, according to a local event manager.

Sam Cullen, managing director of Port Douglas Event Management, said the region needed to reproduce the success of Carnivale with more locally held events.

"Carnivale has done a great job for many years in attracting people from around the region such as Cairns and the Tablelands and interstate during May, and the region is now pushing the season into November with its fantastic adoption of Melbourne Cup," Mr Cullen said.

"We need to take a long term view. Once the region adopts local events this is the catalyst that then attracts friends and family from outside the region like Carnivale has achieved.

Pictured above: Beer festival 'Porttoberfest'

"This November's solar eclipse gives us a chance to show off our region to the world. Tens of thousands of people will experience our region for themselves at this magic time of the year, and millions of others will see it on TV and on live webcasts and see how beautiful it is as a November holiday destination.

"We need to capitalise on this attention by giving people reasons to keep coming back, and that's where events such as our now famous Melbourne Cup parties, the Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival, Porttoberfest, Sunset in the Park and the Haunting of Oak Beach, among others, come in.

"There are a number of events that are run later in the year that have the potential for huge growth," he said.



Pictured above - Local music festival 'Sunset In The Park'

Mr Cullen said securing government partnerships is crucial in ensuring events are given an opportunity to grow.

"Seed or major funding allows events to jump over many of the start-up hurdles that every new or growing event faces.

"Government partnerships and funding are also very valuable to events in helping them secure corporate and media sponsors.

"If we want our region to receive the benefits that events of all sizes bring, we need to start looking at an event assistance mechanism ourselves, in addition to Council or State Government funding.

"Our business sectors will be the benefactor and therefore we should be investing into events to ensure this is achieved."

Mr Cullen, who also runs tourismportdouglas.com.au, said Google Analytics results prove that visitors are searching for reasons to come to the region in addition to the traditional drawcards of the reef and rainforest.

"Search terms such as 'What's on in Port Douglas' or 'Port Douglas Events' are widely being used by people from all over the country and across the globe. We need to make sure we deliver what people want."