Palm Island Tourism Commercial & Operating Partner

Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council (Council) is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced Palm Island Tourism Commercial & Operating Partner (Partner) to support the development, commercial activation, operational readiness and initial operation of Palm Island’s emerging tourism offering.

The engagement will provide Council with specialist tourism, commercial and operating capability across the full establishment lifecycle, commencing during procurement and delivery of the associated tourism infrastructure and continuing through tourism product development, operational mobilisation, Commercial Opening and the initial operating period.

The Partner will work collaboratively with Council and relevant local, cultural, government and tourism-sector stakeholders to establish a coordinated, commercially sustainable and culturally appropriate tourism offering that supports increased visitation and economic participation on Palm Island.

The engagement will broadly progress through the following lifecycle:

1. D&C Procurement Support – providing specialist tourism, commercial and operational input to Council during procurement of the Design and Construct (D&C) contractor for the Walking Trails and associated tourism infrastructure.

2. Design and Tourism Product Development – providing operational and commercial input during design development while progressively developing the tourism products, visitor experience and operating arrangements that will utilise the infrastructure.

3. Operational Readiness and Commercial Mobilisation – establishing the systems, processes, market channels, workforce and service-provider arrangements necessary for Commercial Opening.

4. Commercial Operations – leading the commercial coordination and day-to-day operation of the Council tourism offering following Commercial Opening, in accordance with the requirements of this Specification.

The Contract will comprise a Pre-Opening Period, followed by an Initial Operating Term of twenty-four (24) months from Commercial Opening, with a Council-controlled option to extend the operating term for up to a further three (3) years.

Background information / Compatibility requirements

Tourism Master Plan – 2023

Council has undertaken a staged program of tourism planning and development aimed at establishing a sustainable visitor economy on Palm Island.

The Palm Island Tourism Master Plan provides the strategic foundation for this work. It identified governance and partnerships, local capability, sharing Palm Island's story and caring for Country as key enablers of tourism development. It also contemplated a staged pathway incorporating local workforce and business development, Ranger participation, tourism product development, visitor transport, walking trails, accommodation and appropriate tourism partnerships.

Council is now progressing from strategic planning and community engagement into infrastructure delivery, commercial activation and operational establishment.

Preliminary Track Network Investigation – 2025-2026

Following the Tourism Master Plan, Council commissioned further investigation of potential walking trail alignments during late 2025 and early 2026.

The resulting Palm Island Track Network Report investigated and ground-truthed potential trail alignments across Palm Island and developed a preliminary network comprising approximately 26 kilometres of proposed new or substantially upgraded walking tracks, which, together with approximately 10 kilometres of existing roads and paths, could form a connected walking network of around 35 kilometres. The report also explored concepts for future expansion into more remote parts of the Island, including potential multi-day walking experiences.

The Track Network Report was a preliminary technical and concept-development exercise rather than a final determination of the walking trail network. Its findings subsequently informed the community and stakeholder engagement process and further project definition.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement – 2026

Council undertook a structured community and stakeholder engagement process during 2026 to test and further develop the proposed approach to the Walking Trails Project and the broader Palm Island tourism offering.

The engagement activities were undertaken principally during April and May 2026, with the outcomes documented in the Engagement Outcomes Report – Consultation Summary in June 2026.

The engagement considered both the proposed walking trails and their relationship with Palm Island's broader visitor economy. It reinforced the importance of cultural authority, local employment and capability development, guided and managed tourism, protection of family camps, privacy and sensitive areas, staged development, transparency and continuing community involvement.

The engagement also considered the need for specialist commercial tourism capability to provide market access, distribution, operating systems, safety capability and commercial expertise while supporting local participation and community leadership.

The resulting recommendations were received and supported for further planning and development by Elected Council under Resolution 2026-R138 and have subsequently informed the scope, priorities and implementation approach for the Walking Trails & Tourism Activation Project.

Walking Trails & Tourism Activation Investment

The Palm Island Walking Trails & Tourism Activation Project represents a major implementation initiative arising from the Tourism Master Plan and subsequent project development.

The Queensland Government, through the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), has committed approximately $4.9 million towards implementation of the Tourism Master Plan, initially focused on development of the walking trails and associated tourism infrastructure.

The project is intended to establish foundational visitor infrastructure while supporting First Nations-led tourism, nature-based tourism and increased economic participation on Palm Island. The project has been developed with an emphasis on culturally appropriate and environmentally sensitive delivery and increased employment, training and business participation for Palm Island residents, Rangers and local businesses.

D&C Procurement and Delivery

Council is separately procuring a Design and Construct (D&C) Contractor for delivery of the Walking Trails and associated tourism infrastructure.

The Tourism Commercial & Operating Partner procurement is being undertaken in parallel with the D&C procurement so that specialist tourism, visitor-experience, commercial and operational considerations can inform relevant procurement and design decisions before the infrastructure is completed.

Indigenous and Arts Installation Precinct / Cultural Walk Interface

The Walking Trails & Tourism Activation Project forms part of a wider emerging visitor offering on Palm Island and is not intended to operate as an isolated tourism asset.

In particular, the tourism offering will interface with the separately delivered Indigenous and Arts Installation Precinct / Cultural Walk, together with other existing and future visitor assets and experiences. The broader approach is to progressively create a connected visitor journey encompassing arrival and orientation, cultural interpretation, walking trails, accommodation, cultural and nature-based experiences, local businesses and visitor departure.

Detailed interface and coordination requirements applicable to the Partner are set out elsewhere in this Specification.

DETSI Strategic Role

DETSI is the principal State funding and strategic tourism partner for the current establishment phase.

In addition to administering the relevant project funding arrangements, DETSI has a strategic interest in tourism-policy alignment, First Nations tourism, regional economic participation, operational readiness and demonstration of the tourism, employment and enterprise outcomes generated from the State's infrastructure investment.

Council retains responsibility for its statutory, procurement, contractual, financial and asset-management decisions, subject to the requirements of applicable funding agreements.

Palm Island Community Economic Development Foundation

The Palm Island Community Economic Development Foundation (Foundation) is an important local economic-development partner within the emerging tourism model.

The Foundation's role is focused on developing the local employment, workforce, enterprise and business capability required to enable Palm Island residents and businesses to participate in and benefit from tourism growth. This includes potential workforce pathways, training, supplier and enterprise development, local procurement and development of locally delivered tourism products and services.

The detailed interface between the Partner and the Foundation is addressed in the local economic participation requirements of this Specification.

Minggamingga Rangers

The Minggamingga Rangers are recognised as a central participant in the development of tourism on Palm Island, providing important cultural, environmental, Country-management and operational capability.

The tourism model provides for Ranger involvement to progressively extend across relevant aspects of tourism product development, visitor experiences, guiding and hosting, environmental and cultural activities, visitor management and stewardship of Country.

Specific requirements for engagement and coordination with the Minggamingga Rangers are set out elsewhere in this Specification.

Tourism Governance, Commercial and Operating Model

Council has developed a preliminary Palm Island Tourism Governance, Commercial and Operating Model to establish an overarching framework for the development, activation and ongoing operation of tourism on Palm Island.

The Model addresses the respective roles of Council, the Tourism Commercial & Operating Partner, the Foundation, Rangers, cultural authorities and key government, destination, transport and market partners, together with the proposed governance, commercial, local-participation and longer-term operating framework.

The Model is included with this Invitation to Tender as a Reference Document to provide Tenderers with the broader strategic and institutional context within which this engagement will operate.

The Model does not replace or override this Specification or the Contract. All obligations of the Partner are those expressly established through the Invitation to Tender and Contract Documents. Where an element of the Model is required to be performed by the Partner, the applicable requirement is set out in this Specification or elsewhere in the Contract Documents.

Desired Outcomes ('Nice to haves', Conditions & Warranties, SLA's, Project benefits): The objective of this engagement is to establish the commercial, operational and market capability required to activate Palm Island’s tourism investment and support the development of a sustainable visitor economy that delivers economic, cultural and community benefit.

Through the appointment of the Tourism Commercial & Operating Partner, Council seeks to:

(a) Establish a commercially viable and culturally appropriate Palm Island visitor economy;

(b) Provide specialist tourism input during infrastructure design/delivery;

(c) Develop market-ready tourism products;

(d) Establish booking, distribution, marketing and operating systems;

(e) Coordinate one end-to-end visitor experience;

(f) Maximise local employment, Ranger participation and local enterprise;

(g) Operate tourism infrastructure commercially following opening;

(h) Progressively expand visitor products and expenditure retained on Palm Island;

(i) Provide transparent commercial and operational information to Council;

(j) Protect cultural authority and community interests; and

(k) Create a transferable and sustainable tourism operating platform.

Updates made to this request:

Please note: The following addendum has been recently added.

1. Added: (Addendum) Palm Island Tourism Governance_ Commercial and Operating Model.pdf

Please consider this addendum when responding.

Tenderers are advised that the tender program is amended to correct the date for Approval of Preferred Tenderer.

The correct timeframe is:

Approval of Preferred Tenderer – 26–30 October 2026

The previous reference to September 2026 was an administrative error.

All other requirements and dates of the Invitation to Tender remain unchanged.

Tenderers are advised that the previously scheduled Tenderer Information Session has been postponed.

A further Addendum will be issued through VendorPanel confirming the revised date and time for the Information Session.

Tenderers should continue to monitor VendorPanel for further updates.

All other requirements of the Invitation to Tender remain unchanged.

Buyer: Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council

Buyer location: 1 Main St, Palm Island, Queensland 4816, Australia

VendorPanel reference: VP525382

Buyer's reference: PIASC.2627.WTRL02

Opens: Saturday 12 September 2026 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Closes: Friday 16 October 2026 02:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Supplier query cut-off: Friday 16 October 2026 02:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Expected decision: Friday 23 October 2026 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Categories: Event Management & Services; 1: Conference Management Services; 2: Entertainment & Amusement Services; 3: Event Management & Production Services; 4: Event Merchandise; Marketing & Communications; 1: Branding; 2: Communications Services; 3: Market Research Services; 4: Market Surveys; 5: Marketing Services; 6: Public Relations; Training & Development; 1: Training Delivery & Facilitation; Travel & Tourism; 1: Accommodation & Conference Facilities; 2: Caravan Parks & Campground Management; 3: Food & Weekend Markets; 4: Ticketing Services; 5: Tour Operation & Management; 6: Tourism Development Consulting Services; 7: Travel Management Services Regions of service: Australian Capital Territory; 1: ACT (all other areas); New South Wales; 1: Sydney; Northern Territory; 1: Darwin; Queensland; 1: Brisbane; 2: Gold Coast; 3: Sunshine Coast; South Australia; 1: Adelaide; Tasmania; 1: Greater Hobart; Victoria; 1: Melbourne; Western Australia; 1: Perth; All Regions of Service locations are within Australia.

Tender documents: 26

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