All the fun of the waterslide
Sar North tourism will reap rewards if operators stay ahead of the game
SIOBHAN Van Motman, 3, enjoys her run down the waterslide at the Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort at Woree. The venue has been a leader in providing innovative activities for their guests and has just invested $250,000 on new products. Innovation is the theme today in our special report on the region’s tourism sector.
INNOVATE or get left behind.
That is the message from key figures in the Far North tourism industry who say we must set ourselves apart to stay desirable.
Identity John Courtney delivered a new level of professionalism to local tourism when he launched the globally accredited Savannah Guides about 40 years ago, with the new Master Reef Guides currently in the works.
He said the Far North needed to “deliver” for tourists as it was not a cheap destination.
“We have good infrastructure, good vessels, good navigational tools, we operate very professionally,” he said.
“But it’s also very expensive to come here and … holiday.
“An area that could be improved is the presentation of the World Heritage area and that’s what we’re trying to do now.
“If we don’t have (visitors) we don’t have an industry. Certainly, we need more and we need to give them what they think they’re going to get,” Mr Courtney said.
Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort caravan park has been a long-time family favourite across the country and recently it has been named among TripAdvisor’s top 25 resorts in the world.
Resort manager Richard Yazbek said no business could afford to rest on its laurels though and the business continued to find ways to improve and cater even better for families.
He said $250,000 was being spent on their popular water park and a dog agility park had opened after recently becoming dog-friendly.
New cabins were being built and solar power was being installed.
Mr Yazbek said Queensland domestic tourists continued to be their biggest market and they wanted to give them the best experience possible.
“Customers pay our bills and wages and we have to keep them coming,” he said.
“A lot of other competitors see that we’re doing it and they understand why we’re doing that. We want to be at the forefront.”
Skyrail general manager Richard Berman-Hardman said they had been forced to innovate from the outset.
The project was hugely controversial as they were erecting what was the world’s longest cableway at the time over the rainforest.
Their latest innovation will be The Edge, a glass walkway over Barron Gorge, which is due to open later this month.
“As an operator on the ground we do our best to innovate so they (Tourism Tropical North Queensland) can go out and promote it,” he said.