Cairns promoters finally have Holy Grail
SECURING year-round direct flights between Cairns and mainland China – often dubbed the “Holy Grail” for Far North tourism – was a deal several years in the making.
Previous services linking Far North Queensland and the Asia superpower had been seasonal only.
Max Shepherd, the recently retired chairman of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, remembers the moment earlier this year when he learned that the China Southern agreement had been finalised.
“I remember thinking that this is going to be one of the biggest things for Cairns,” he said.
“But it’s also a challenge for the destination. The biggest thing we have to do is make sure we deliver the experiences we’re promising.
“We need to ensure that the visitors who come here have fantastic Great Barrier Reef and regional experiences, so they can then go home and sell this destination.”
The Chinese market has been part of Cairns’ tourism fabric for more than two decades, but has soared to new levels over the past five years.
Mr Shepherd said the industry’s hunger for greater connectivity to China was scaled up following a strategic review undertaken about four years ago.
“We looked at where we needed to go as a destination,” he said. “Out of this, we saw an opportunity to grow Tropical North Queensland as a resort holiday destination.
“A process was started to approach airlines in China to convince them that Cairns would be an ideal destination for them.”
Mr Shepherd said today’s launch of the China Southern services was a “special day” for Cairns.
WE HAVE TO ... MAKE SURE WE DELIVER THE EXPERIENCES WE’RE PROMISING
MAX SHEPHERD