Tweed targets corporate events market

THE Tweed is stepping up efforts to attract more business conferences and corporate events, announcing two new venues alongside a campaign to boost spending in local hotels, restaurants and attractions.

A new beachfront events venue is in the pipeline for Kingscliff, with Salt Surf Life Saving Club preparing to open in late 2026 or early 2027.

Meanwhile, hinterland venue Hillside Carool is undergoing renovations to create a refreshed space for smaller groups.

Tweed Tourism’s 2026 Business Events Campaign positions the region as a destination for corporate retreats and conferences, highlighting its proximity to Gold Coast Airport and a growing range of venues and experiences.

The Tweed Tourism Company general manager Sally Scott said the initiative aims to build midweek trade for hotels, venues and tourism operators.

“We’ve been so successful in luring leisure travellers to the Tweed for so long and we just want to shift focus to the midweek which is naturally business events,” Scott said.

“People attending these business events are staying at local venues, and they’re conferencing in our region with very little impact on our community but really driving a lot of money to our visitor economy.”

Jenna Popovic, conference and events sales manager at SALT, said midweek conferences and corporate retreats help boost business during quieter periods.

“For Peppers Salt Resort & Spa and Mantra on Salt Beach, these events bring not just accommodation bookings but also strong spending on food, beverages, meeting facilities and local experiences,” she said.

Popovic said organisers often include local restaurants, tours and activities in their programs, while delegates frequently extend their stay or return later with family.

Business events in the Tweed Shire are estimated to generate about $14 million for the local economy.

The strategy coincides with the launch of the 2026 Tweed Business Events Planner, a digital guide designed to help organisers explore venues, accommodation and activities across the region.

Scott said the planner highlights local operators offering team-building experiences and small-group activities.

“Each of our operators has been doing a great job in their own space, but it’s really about bringing them all together as more of a collective,” she said.

Scott pointed to Badlands Vinyl Paint and Sip, located next to Twin Towns, as an example of a venue that could benefit from nearby conferences and events.

“If there’s a conference happening at Twin Towns, the delegates could easily walk over to that venue and partake in this incredible team-building event,” she said.

As part of the initiative, a new Team Building Collection has also been developed highlighting local experiences for corporate groups.

These include activities such as tree-planting workshops with regenerative farmer Rachael Sanderson, mindfulness sessions in the mangroves and seafood workshops at Pipit Restaurant guided by hatted chef Ben Devlin.

With new venues, experiences and a dedicated planner, Scott said the Tweed is positioning itself as an accessible destination for corporate groups and business events.