Culture, people appealed to event organiser

By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
The range of activities available and “the diversity of cultures and people” were what Vanessa Fleming-Baillie (pictured) found very appealing in Alice Springs.
 
The event coordinator for the Monash University in Melbourne was one of 20 travel and convention organisers in town as guests of Tourism NT.
 
She said the town is “far from anything” but could well be regarded as an alternative to hold functions overseas.
 
She said people organising conventions “have to consider, do they choose the middle of Australia, or do they stick to the eastern seaboard or do they go overseas.
 
“If you want to keep the money in Australia, why don’t we try the middle of Australia instead of somewhere else?”
 
She named bicycle rides, hot air ballooning, camel rides, displays of indigenous activities such as basket weaving or dot paintings, and one of the top 10 desert golf courses in the world, as incentives to hold convntions in Alice Springs.
 
Is the Convention Centre adequate? “Absolutely, definitely,” said Ms Fleming-Baillie.
 
She said a quarry not far from town used for outback style functions “is like an ampitheatre. You can use the rock wall for artists’ presentations.”
 
The Camel Cup had a family feel about it, rides and face painting for the kids, people just walking around, really enjoying themselves, having a good time.