TIME TO BACK OFF? ROW OVER EX-MAYOR’S TOURISM SPLINTER GROUP
Splinter group says pursuit of FNQ’s interests sole reason behind establishment
A BREAKAWAY tourism organisation has brushed off claims it is just a one-way trip down ego street for former Cairns mayor Kevin Byrne.
The Cairns Tourism Industry Association has formed a six-member interim board with the goal of marketing the Cairns: Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef brand.
Members have stressed the group is not out to compete with Tourism Tropical North Queensland – most of them are also members of the regional tourism organisation – but it is impossible to overlook how their dissatisfaction with its marketing efforts led to this new entity’s creation.
CTIA interim chairman Kevin Byrne, who also set up Enterprise North last year after conflict with Advance Cairns, has defended his involvement in the new group.
He said he was not surprised by “personally targeted” comments from Advance Cairns chairman Trent Twomey about his leadership style.
“This is not about a turf war, but is about another group of people exercising their ability and right to pursue their own legitimate interests in a way that should enhance the city and region,” he said.
“We’ve had a positive start and are not going to be distracted by this sort of pettiness – we have bigger issues to concentrate our energies on.”
CTIA secretary and Passions of Paradise diving tour operator Alan Wallish said Mr Byrne was not the motivator behind the group.
“There’s a whole bunch of people behind this,” he said.
“Everybody we talk to is saying that if someone is going to trash our brand up here, we have to fight back a little bit.”
Mr Wallish said the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s outlook released last week was clear indication a loud new voice was needed.
“It had a lot of good stuff in it, but people don’t read the whole thing – they just see the negative headline,” he said.
“People don’t realise that it’s a forecast.
“Tourists booking their holidays for next year are going to read it, but they are going to see a great reef if they come.
“What happens in 10-15 years is open for debate.”