Jill strives to promote tourism

Hervey Bay whale watch queen Jill Perry may be leaving the business, but her passion for the city’s tourism has not waned.

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• Call me a tourism champion

NEVER miss an opportunity to promote the region.

That’s Hervey Bay whale watch queen and ever ready tourism ambassador Jill Perry’s motto and last week it paid off yet again.

Mrs Perry and her husband Brian attended a meeting in Brisbane with fellow winners from the recent Queensland Export Awards.

She said at least a dozen winners and people from Trade and Investment Queensland were there and when talk turned to tourism, Mrs Perry swung into action.

“Everyone there gave a talk about what had been happening in their area since the awards.

“I said tourism in general had been pretty quiet and just blatantly said ‘we need you to come to Hervey Bay’.”

After filling them in on the majestic humpback whales and Fraser Island, Mrs Perry said, “every single one” of the people in the room pledged to bring a string of international delegates to the area this whale season.

The Perrys pioneered Hervey Bay’s whale watching industry.

After almost a quarter of a century they decided to put their business on the market earlier this year but Mrs Perry says she is still passionate about reviving the tourism industry.

“We’re still doing our best to promote the area.

“Everywhere we go we are flying the flag high for the Fraser Coast.”

‘We’re still doing our best to promote the area.’