Superb setting hard to ignore

WHAT a great time for Cairns.

The city has long been known as a tourist hub with thousands of state, interstate and international visitors arriving each month to take advantage of the climate, stunning scenery and proximity to the Great Barrier Reef.

But there is so much more to the region, and high-stake rollers are taking notice.

Cairns is on track for strong growth following the $120 million pledge towards the Cairns port dredging plan.

And now the city is touted as a hotspot for high-level sporting events made only stronger by a potential proposal to lock in the Asia Pacific Championships in Cairns for another three years. Officials have called the region a “perfect fit” for this particular Ironman leg and let’s be honest, it’s easy to see why.

An international airport and direct flights make it easy for Asia Pacific countries to fly straight here, not to mention a push for direct flights from China, where the sport is fast becoming popular.

Cairns has the capacity for more visitors especially as there is more than $120 million in hotel development on the cards with Syrian developer Ghassan Aboud’s planned redevelopment of the Rydges Tradewinds hotel on the Cairns Esplanade.

And it sounds like the athletes want to compete in the region.

Yesterday’s men’s winner Josh Amberger said the Cairns course was “one of the best, if not the best” he has raced on. Who can blame him?

The beautiful setting for the Cairns Ironman would have been a welcome distraction for the men and women slogging it through the incredibly tough course. Janessa Ekert janessa.ekert@news.com.au