The Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced the third round of concurrent sessions for the 2025 Whitsunday Business Conference, featuring practical guidance to help local businesses boost visibility, sharpen their tendering skills, and strengthen connections with customers and teams.
Running from 2:00pm on Thursday 28 August, these sessions give attendees the opportunity to select the topic most relevant to their business goals and gain insights from industry professionals who understand the regional landscape.
These Round Three sessions continue the conference’s strong focus on real-world application, delivering the kind of insights and tools regional businesses can act on straight away.
CONCURRENT SESSION 8
Ask An Expert: Local Marketing That Works
This dynamic panel brings together three local media and marketing experts:
- Melanie Laas, EMME Influence
- Courtney Casey, Southern Cross Austereo
- Trish Jandt, Mackay and Whitsunday Life
Together, they’ll explore how businesses can use social media, print, radio, and digital platforms to build reach, strengthen community ties, and drive growth. From platform-specific strategies to choosing the right media mix, this session will give attendees the confidence and tools to market with purpose and impact.
CONCURRENT SESSION 9
Tendering: Top Ten Tips
Presented by Ros Weche from the Queensland Department of State Development and Infrastructure, this practical session covers how to prepare competitive, conforming bids for government and private sector contracts. Attendees will learn the top ten tips for writing effective tenders, avoid common pitfalls, and sharpen their ability to communicate value to procurement managers.
CONCURRENT SESSION 10
The Dying Art of Customer Service: 12 Rules for Success
Drawing on three decades of experience building a $20 million business, Rick Brown delivers a no-nonsense session on what great service really looks like. This presentation highlights the twelve customer service rules that drive loyalty, build reputation, and differentiate businesses in any industry.
CONCURRENT SESSION 11
Ask An Expert: Smarter People Management for Small Business
Led by Mark Lipkin from Airlie Group, this session addresses common pain points in managing staff. Covering compliance, industrial relations, and practical implementation, it will help attendees build tailored people strategies that reduce risk, improve team culture, and support sustainable growth.
Full Program
Conference Details
What: The 2025 Whitsunday Business Conference
When: 9am-5pm Thursday 28 August 2025
Where: TAFE Queensland Whitsunday campus, Cannonvale
Registration:
- Tickets can be shared within your team, allowing you attend what you can when you can.
- Tickets include morning and afternoon tea, and lunch.
Conference Tickets
Tickets include morning and afternoon tea, and lunch.
Early Bird registrations closed 30 June
1 July to 28 August
Members (Chamber and Tourism Whitsundays): $99 two-for-one tickets
Association Partners: $99 each
Non-Members: $129 each
Thanks!
The Chamber wishes to thank our major sponsors and media partner for their generosity and support of the 2025 Whitsundays Business Conference:
Queensland Budget Brings Mixed Outcomes for Whitsunday Business Community