Backing for levy to drive growth
MULTINATIONALS who reap the rewards of the Far North’s tourism industry, but give nothing in return, should be helping fund promotion of the region, a politician said.
Cairns MP Michael Healy, a former tourism industry leader, said businesses like Woolworths, whose CBD store is constantly filled with visitors, should be hit with a levy as they were getting all the benefits but were not members of Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
Mr Healy said he backed Cairns Mayor Bob Manning’s call for a tourist levy and said every tourist destination he had travelled to in the world had some kind of levy.
“I think it’s time we caught up with the rest of the world,” he said.
“TTNQ needs additional funding and I welcome the discussion and support of additional funding so Tropical North Queensland stays in the top four Australian destinations for international visitors.
“It is one of the jewels in the crown of tourism around the country. We need to be moving with the times.”
He said either a tourist levy, or a business levy aimed at big retailers, not small businesses, were options.
Prior to amalgamation, the Douglas Shire Council had a tourist levy, but this was scrapped when the shire became part of the Cairns Regional Council and was not reintroduced after de-amalgamation in 2014.
Douglas Mayor Julia Leu said there had been “administrative complexities” with capturing the levy and there did not seem to be a strong desire to reinstate it.
The council directly funds Tourism Port Douglas Daintree with $481,000 per year.
“This council would need to undertake extensive community consultation with our tourism business sector before considering reinstating the tourism levy,” she said.
Kuranda businesses also pay a “benefited area rate” which flows directly into a fund to market the town.
Mareeba Shire Council mayor Tom Gilmore said this had been in place for 19 years and had been set up voluntarily by Kuranda businesses.
“We believe (it works) and the community of Kuranda seem to think so,” he said.