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General Manager, Q Station
Mawland Quarantine Station,
www.qstation.com.au
Duration: October 2006 – Present
The business
The business activity we took over from National Parks was a fledgling tours and conference with annual turnover of $100,000 and minimal awareness.
While conserving and adapting the site we added value to the tours and increased the price without losing custom.
In April 2008 we commenced a 74 room retreat of refurbished accommodation, 10 conference and function venues, two restaurants, visitor centre, immersion theatre experience, two paranormal tours and three educational programs.
By October 2008 the business employed 75 people and monthly revenue was $600,000. Forecast end of financial year revenue was $7.6M.
Adapted accommodation room
Refurbished function rooms
Refurbished meeting rooms
Adapted Boilerhouse Restaurant
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Achievements
- The new Q Station business made its first monthly GoP 7 months after opening, despite opening with low brand recognition, a State economy in recession and a national and international economy sliding towards recession
- Focus business on residential conferencing as most immediate and highest yielding business available
- Structuring Sales and Marketing Department to outsource conference lead generation and public relations
- Between Feb 08 – Oct 08 from a public relations budget of $70k generated:
- 405 media breaks reaching 65.2M people
- $2.8M in advertising value and $8.5M in editorial value
- During the first 18 months, tour revenue quadrupled through:
- An occupancy increase from 40% to 70%, and
- average tour price increase from $28 to $40
- During the following seven months:
- hotel occupancy was built from 0% to 52%
- average room rate was built from $57 to $120
- REVPAR improved from $26 on opening to $73
- average daily conference delegate capture rate increased by 35%
- cost of food reduced by 25%
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Strategic roles
- Coordinate business pre-opening, start up and consolidation
- Build brand awareness and stakeholder support
- Build revenue through residential conference occupancy then progress to yield growth
- Contain direct and indirect costs while complying with lease obligations
Key tasks
Business development and management
- create and implement yield improvement strategies
- create and implement cost reduction strategies
- annual, quarterly and monthly reports to Board
- budget setting and reporting
- management of debt facility and reporting to Board
Human Resource Management
- Oversee operations managers (S&M, Accountant, Hotel, F&B, Visitor Services, Property)
- Implement induction program and monthly employee awards
Sales and marketing
- strategic use in famils and media campaigns
- introduce new product to further strengthen competitive advantage
- oversee product improvement and reinvigoration
Stakeholder management
- landlord relationship (National Parks and Wildlife)
- Community Committee
- media relations
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