CABARITA-based company Rees International is putting the Tweed on the tourist map after taking out the new tourism business category at the recent 2016 North Coast Tourism Awards.

Founded by husband and wife duo Martin and Janene Rees, the Cabarita-based tourism consultancy seeks to encourage and educate Tweed-based tourism operators to broaden their marketing horizons to China and other Asian markets.

Having both worked in tourism most of their lives, Janene and Martin are prepared to show what the Tweed really has to offer to the world.

We chat to Janene about Rees International:

What inspired you to open your own business?

I saw a gap in the market a couple of years ago that wasn't being addressed. That was educating regional tourism businesses in how to engage with the China market, and probably the wider Asian market.

Why should the Tweed tourism industry be focusing on the Chinese market?

The characteristics of the Chinese traveller are changing rapidly and evolving more quickly than any other international market to Australia and NSW. China is now the largest travel market in the world and it's becoming a very different consumer. They're very young and sophisticated and they're actually travelling in a lot smaller groups, so it's very important people understand how they find us and how they get here.

What's the biggest challenge in operating in the tourism industry for the Tweed region?

Understanding the new generation of free, independent traveller and how to manage them. Free, independent travellers account for 75% of our inbound market. They're flying in under the radar because these people are booking in their itineraries before they get here.