FNQ TOURISM Middle East on radar to target

EMIRATES and Etihad airlines are in Crystalbrook Collection’s direct line of vision as the hotel firm decides whether to pump another massive investment into Far North Queensland.

The growing hotel firm’s acting CEO Geoff York said Crystalbrook’s 24-member sales marketing team was actively attending trade shows and targeting customers across Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, China and the United States.

But two airlines were at the forefront of their minds.

“We of course, and Ghassan (Aboud), have worked with the council here to look at Middle East airlines … Etihad, Emirates airlines,” Mr York said.

“That won’t happen overnight.

“Cairns Airport is doing a lot of work behind the scenes to encourage them and others to come here.”

Reeling in higher-yield tourists was one of Crystalbrook owner Ghassan Aboud’s most strident desires — and one that would affect the tension on his purse strings.

“You know Middle East airlines do not bring people from the Middle East only,” he said.

“They bring people also from Europe, from the Netherlands, from Belgium.

“Last summer in my area, which is July, I saw many people from Belgium and also from Netherlands start to come.

“They told me that they don’t know this area (Cairns) before – nobody tells them about this area.”

Mr Aboud said current strife in his native region played into Far North Queensland’s hand – but only if the Queensland Government quickly capitalised on the opportunity.

“We see in the Middle East there are many countries broken now,” he said.

“Lebanon was, but it is a destination for tourists also.

“Syria also, Egypt also, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia — now everybody is worried to go there.

“For that, we have a chance to attract the customers from Europe to come here.”

Mr York suggested it was time to rouse a sleeping giant.

“Our intention with Ghassan coming to Cairns with three hotels was never about just keeping the same amount of visitors, and we just take a share of the existing business,” he said.

“That’s not fair for the other businesses and the other hotels that are here.

“Our ambition and our vision has always been to grow the visitor numbers to this region.”