Sunshine Coast
AUSTRALIA’ S‘ SUNNIEST’ BUSINESS EVENTS DESTINATION
There’ s something special about holding a conference or an incentive on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. It’ s more than just the sunny name and it’ s even more than the‘ vibe’. It’ s the fact that an‘ exotic’ destination dominated so much by nature can be so accessible for conference organisers, being less than two hours from most of the east coast centres and just three hours from Auckland.
Delegates can be discussing the conference programme with their toes in the water and a chilled drink minutes after touching down at Sunshine Coast Airport. As you land, you can see the dramatic Glass House Mountains just half an hour away.
The region has established itself as one of Australia’ s leading destinations for‘ incentive trips with a purpose’, inviting groups to get back in touch with nature.
That’ s not to say that it ' s all beer and skittles on the Sunshine Coast( though it is the Craft Beer Capital of Australia).
In 2026 and beyond, the Sunshine Coast will also welcome new hotels that will elevate the conferencing capacity significantly.
New upscale accommodation The region’ s first major new branded leisure hotel in over 30 years will launch in April 2026, overlooking one of the region’ s most iconic beaches.
Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel will feature 180 rooms and state-of-the-art meeting facilities with 180-degree water views for up to 250 guests. It will be the first fullservice Avani hotel in Australia.
Another new name on the Sunshine Coast accommodation scene is Elysium. A multi-million renovation has seen the Sofitel Noosa Beach Resort relaunched as Elysium Noosa Resort.
All 175 hotel rooms and suites have been redesigned by Melbourne based Interior
Architecture & Design studio, Mitchell & Eades. The renovation included the hotel’ s event spaces, the largest of which is the ballroom, with can seat 350 delegates theatre style.
And with the Sunshine Coast co-hosting the 2032 Olympic Games, there is an impressive pipeline of hotels in development.
Massive airport upgrade begins Sunshine Coast Airport has commenced its $ 170m terminal redevelopment project, which will expand the domestic departure lounge three-fold, and introduce new technology such as 18 self-check-ins and 10 automatic bag drops.
The airport is growing its connectivity to Asia. In March, a new Jetstar service will connect the Sunshine Coast with Singapore( via Bali). This is in addition to year-round direct services from Auckland and existing direct connections from Adelaide, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney.
Swimming with turtles, Coolum Beach – Demi Gavin
From sleepy holiday destination to thriving hi-tech growth centre Beyond the picturesque coastal beaches and stunning Hinterland, the Sunshine Coast is a leader in future industries, digital innovation, and medical institutions.
Maroochydore is home to new underwater communication cables, including the recent landing of the Tabua cable, which connects Australia directly to the United States via a new Pacific route. This is in addition to the Japan- Guam-Australia South( JGA-S) cable, which connects to Asia.
These new cables significantly improve internet speeds and data costs for the region, establishing Maroochydore as a key international digital hub.
The new Maroochydore CBD has plans for a game-changing events centre that will double as a venue for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The precinct already plays host to corporations, as well as Sunshine Coast Council, making the rooftop Altitude Nine function centre a popular choice for events. n Maroochy River Aerial, Maroochydore Credit Visit Sunshine Coast
n The Visit Sunshine Coast Business Events team is a powerful resource for event organisers, with access to a range of accommodation and venue providers. The team can offer tailor-made itineraries and contact details are available at: https:// businesseventssunshinecoast. com /
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