From Minnesota to Longreach

Outback Aussie Tours Group and Charter Coordinator Payton Vedders has been selected to participate in the 2023 Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Young Professionals Mentoring Program. 

Ms Vedders will join the next generation of Queensland tourism professionals to be guided by the industry’s leaders. 

“I’m so honoured to be a part of the program and look forward to developing my professional skills to better perform in my Outback Aussie Tours role,” Ms Vedders said.  

Outback Aussie Tours owner-operator Alan Smith says the team is proud of Ms Vedders, who is the company’s first team member invited into the tourism program. 

“We are thrilled Payton has been chosen for the program, and we’re sure she will gain invaluable experience and knowledge from her mentor,” Mr Smith said. 

The 6-month program pairs young tourism professionals with senior industry representatives for monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions, where mentees can share their tourism goals and aspirations and learn how to achieve them.

“I’m excited to delve deeper into the tourism industry and discover the opportunities it offers and potential career paths,” Ms Vedders said.  

Born and raised in Minnesota, United States, Ms Vedders says she has always been drawn to Australia and made the big move in 2018.

“I remember watching Animal Planet as a kid, and they portrayed Australia as this dangerous country where everything is poisonous… to me, it was this mysterious, big island 10,000 miles away that I had to explore,” Ms Vedders said. 

Ms Vedders moved from Sydney to the Daly River, NT, to Cairns before settling in Longreach, QLD in 2020.

“I love the people and the sense of community… people are more than happy to go out of their way to help others, even if they don’t know you from a bar of soap,” Ms Vedders said. 

A team member for two years, Ms Vedders, has found her home with Outback Aussie Tours where she can share her passion for the Australian outback with tourists. 

“Outback Aussie Tours offer passengers a unique and immersive experience of Outback Queensland’s culture, history and landscapes. So it’s easy to see why they [Outback Aussie Tours] are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, and I’m so proud to be a part of the team,” Ms Vedders said. 

For more information about Outback Aussie Tours and their luxury guided holidays, click here.