Tapping into the heat and humidity of the Far North could be the key to sports tourism, with AFL club Richmond visiting Cairns next month for preseason training. Director of Quest Queensland Elite Sports Training David Arnfield, who launched the business in Cairns earlier this year with his partner Fiona John, said this region is an idyllic location for elite sports training to help teams like the Tigers. "We have the infrastructure, airport, accommodation, and the conditions - it's warm, which is what a lot of these elite sporting teams want in terms of training," he said. "We are confident that Richmond will open the gate to similar opportunities with other clubs and put Cairns on the map as a serious contender when choosing a training base or preseason camp." A delegation of 75 players, coaches and corporate partners will arrive in Cairns on November 26 and stay for a week, also visiting Cape Tribulation, and promising an injection of $120,000 into the Far Northern economy. AFL Cairns president Gary Young said he hoped the appeal of heat training would appeal to international sports people. "We can provide heat training in spades and it's seen as more beneficial than traditional altitude training," he said. "I would like Manchester United and the Yankees to come to Cairns and see it as the world's best training ground."
Last Modified on 04/12/2012 09:42