Fresh from its success at last week’s Queensland Tourism Awards, the Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo has set its sights on attracting more international visitors.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo Inc (MIRRI) Chairman Darren Campi collected the Festival and Events award for the second consecutive year, accompanied by other MIRRI representatives and General Manager Natalie Flecker.
The prestigious awards ceremony was attended by 900 guests at the Brisbane Convention Entertainment Centre on Friday November 10. Mr Campi said it was a proud moment for the rodeo which would now go through to the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Perth on February 23.
“The Isa Rodeo holds the current Australian Tourism Award for best Festival and Event, so it is a huge achievement that we will now be able to defend our national award,” Mr Campi said.
“We are extremely grateful for the valuable support we receive from our longstanding sponsors, the Queensland Government, the MIRRI committee and Rotarians, our rodeo event team and the 900 volunteers who do an outstanding job helping us deliver this iconic event.”
RELATED NEWS: Mount Isa Rodeo wins at Queensland Tourism Awards
Following the rodeo’s state and national tourism award success and elevation to Major Events status by Tourism and Events Queensland, Mr Campi said the Isa Rodeo would participate in its first international consumer trade show in Las Vegas as part of the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) National Finals Rodeo.
“We have put together a Reef, Rainforest and Rodeo package for the North American market through a leading international travel company Down Under Answers. The package will be available for travellers to purchase on our stand to come to Australia and Mount Isa next year,” he said.
“Natalie will also be attending the PRCA Conference and National Finals.”
Also heading to the trade show will be Mount Isa Coaches Managing Director Gary Murray, a long-time rodeo sponsor.
“I will be there to help promote travel to Mount Isa and the rodeo,” Mr Murray.
“I think it’s a great initiative to participate in this trade show, with the aim of attracting more international visitors to Queensland and Mount Isa. We hope to convert people to buy a travel package, which will hopefully have a snowball effect in creating more interest in the destination.”
The PRCA is the highest paying American rodeo organisation in the world. It sanctions rodeos in 37 US states and three Canadian provinces. The National Finals are its championship event.
The Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo’s Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary Rodeo will be held over four days, from August 9 to 12, 2018.
The Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and promoted as part of the It’s Live! in Queensland event calendar.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
