Cairns, 19th June: Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt recently announced that approximately A$176 million (US$134 million) of funding had been earmarked to upgrade and expand the facilities of the Cairns Convention Centre (CCC).

The CCC, which opened in 1996, will use the funding to refurbish the existing 31,000 m2 venue and to build an additional 3,000 m2 of exhibition space and meeting rooms. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. The Queensland government estimates that the expansion will serve to attract 20,000 additional visitors and generate an incremental A$30 million (US$23 million) of revenue for Cairns each year.