The first wave of Amway China delegates has arrived in Cairns kicking off a month-long $40 million seminar and incentive program.

Between now and April 17, more than 6000 staff from the company will explore Tropical North Quensland during the Amway China 2019 Leadership Seminar.

Queensland’s Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones welcomed the first flight carrying Amway staff into Cairns on Tuesday.

“These people are the company’s best salespeople in China and qualified to travel to Cairns where they’ll spend time on the Great Barrier Reef, get a bird’s eye view of the world-heritage listed rainforest on Skyrail and experience the only place on earth where two ancient cultures meet,” she said.

“It’s the sixth time the Amway Leadership Seminar has been held in Australia but the first time Amway China has come to Queensland where it’s tipped to generate $40 million for the local economy.

“This is great news for the local tourism industry and underlines our commitment to growing visitor numbers from key source markets into Cairns.”

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the summit will showcase Cairns as a world-class business event destination.

“Business events are vital to Queensland’s economy,” he said.

“Delegates are here to learn and build their professional network but also enjoy a unique tourism experience, which is what sets us apart,” he said.

“When the delegates return home, they’ll tell their family, friends and colleagues about the experiences on offer here, inspiring them to visit too.

“That’s why we’ve worked hard to secure new business events for Queensland and we’ll continue to focus on growing this sector further to secure long-term benefits.”