The Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Chapter and Shane Thompson FRAIA, Queensland Chapter President, invites you to attend the 2013 President’s Dinner.
The night’s presentations will include:
– 2013 Life Fellows
– 2013 Fellows
– The President’s Prize
– The QIA Medallion
– The Board of Architects’ Prizes
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Guest Speaker: Don Morris AO- Doctor of the University, Griffith University – Bachelor of Economics, Monash University – Co-founder of Mojo Australia in 1979 – A lifetime career in advertising, and as a director of public company and government boards specialising in tourismClick here for Bio |
| Don Morris AO |
The celebration only days ago of the 40th birthday of Australia’s most iconic asset, the Sydney Opera House (SOH), was an emphatic reminder of the crucial synergy between tourism and architecture.
When announcing its unique World Heritage listing in 2007, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee chose these beautiful words:
“Sydney Opera House stands by itself as one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.”
And the world emphatically agrees. The SOH is the 30th most visited attraction on Planet Earth (and number one in the Southern Hemisphere), with around 8.5 million visitors last year. Built in 1973 at a cost of $102 million, Deloitte last month placed a 2013 value of $4.6 billion on the masterpiece.
Tourism is the world’s largest commercial consumer activity, with over 1 billion tourists travelling internationally for the first time in 2012. The Deloitte study found that visitors to the SOH contribute $775 million to Australia’s tourism economy each year. Arguably more importantly, the same study found that, overwhelmingly, audiences placed a significantly higher ‘value’ on the experience on being at the SOH than the quality of the performance or the ticket price itself.
Such is the potency of aspirational branding to tourists, with the iconic SOH being the most instantly recognised and valued symbol of Australia to the world. Even more so than the kangaroo!
Campbell Newman announced last month that Queensland is at the cusp of a long awaited boom in new tourism infrastructure. A contention with which Deloitte also agree.
A generational opportunity is therefore on our architects and design communities to bring new groundbreaking 21st century creativity and ingenuity to ‘getting it right’ for Queensland and our huge tourism economy.
Understanding the desires, motivations and lust of the world’s travellers for sustainably unique tourism experiences – not just those of the developer – is the crucial starting point.
I look forward to digging into all this with you on November 14.
Don Morris AO
Date: Thursday 14 November 2013
Time: 7:00pm for 7:30pm until 11:00pm
Venue: Long Room, Customs House, 399 Queen Street, Brisbane
Tickets: $136.00 (inc 3 course dinner and drinks); tables of 8 available
RSVP: Friday 8 November 2013
Dress Code: After five
Parking: Discounted parking available. Click here for details.
Book now for your opportunity to enjoy a special and unique evening with friends and colleagues.
For further information, please contact the Chapter on (07) 3828 4100 or qld@architecture.com.au
BCA certifiers are the proud sole sponsor of the 2013 President’s Dinner
Some images from the 2012 Presidents Dinner. Guest Speaker was Li Cunxin
