FUNDS TO FIGHT BACK
$3.8M BOOST AS REGION LOOKS AHEAD
THREE funding packages totalling $3.8 million have been approved by the Palaszczuk government to help Far Northern tourism recover from the impacts of the coronavirus.
The funds will be used in marketing campaigns to draw visitors to the region.
They include $2.4m for Tourism Tropical North Queensland to market Cairns and the region interstate and overseas, $1 million for three campaigns targeting the US and UK markets and $400,000 to promote the Far North’s indigenous tourism products. Tourism Minister Kate Jones will announce the funding today at the Future Tourism event which has attracted almost 500 guests, who will also hear from renowned demographer Bernard Salt on his predictions for the future, alongside panellists TTNQ chief executive officer Mark Olsen, Entrada CEO John Thorburn and Ms Jones.
“Cairns tourism operators need all the help they can get at the moment,” she said.
“Far North Queensland will be one of the regions hit the hardest by coronavirus,” she said. “That’s why we’re investing millions of dollars in marketing to bring more tourists to Cairns.”
Far North Queensland will be one of the regions hit the hardest by coronavirus. That’s why we’re investing millions of dollars in marketing ... These campaigns are about driving visitors and stimulating economic recovery at a time when it is badly needed. Minister Kate Jones
THREE tourism marketing funding packages totalling $3.8 million by the Palaszczuk government are designed to help Far Northern tourism businesses that are suffering because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The packages to be announced today are:
■ $2.4 million to Tourism Tropical North Queensland to market Cairns and the region interstate and overseas.
■ $1 million for three international campaigns targeting two key sources of tourists – the US and UK – to kick off this month.
■ $400,000 to promote smaller indigenous tourism ventures overseas.
“Coronavirus is having a significant impact on tourism businesses in Far North Queensland,” the Premier said.
“It couldn’t have come at a worse time – businesses were already doing it tough with droughts and floods over the last 18 months. The funding announced today will go direct to Tourism Tropical North Queensland to market Cairns interstate and overseas.”
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said it followed last week’s $2 million tourism campaign to deliver an immediate shot in the arm for the industry following coronavirus.
She said the $1 million campaign would leverage the work Tourism and Events Queensland were doing overseas.
The government has fasttracked the package, which highlights scuba diving holidays on the Great Barrier Reef, and a second involving a specialist travel wholesaler and
TTNQ for the US market. The third will target UK travellers already planning a Queensland holiday to come to the tropical north.
Ms Jones said the dedicated dive campaign would link to partner networks to promote scuba diving holidays.
“Another campaign, kicking off next Monday in partnership with specialist travel wholesaler Down Under Answers and Tourism Tropical North Queensland, aims to generate bookings that will bring more than $1.25 million in overnight visitor expenditure in the TNQ region,” she said. “Through the company’s network of travel agents, increasing length of stay in the region is a strong focus, encouraging tourists to discover more of the tourism experiences on offer.
“In the UK, a TNQ-specific campaign will target travellers already planning a Queensland holiday to generate accommodation and tour bookings for TNQ operators.”
Ms Jones said the Far North was being hit hard by coronavirus.
“That’s why we’re investing a million dollars in marketing to bring more American and British tourists to Cairns,” she said.
Ms Jones said Cairns was the first to secure funding under the new $10 million Growing Indigenous Tourism in Queensland Fund.
“More tourists than ever before are looking for a cultural experience when they go on holiday,” she said.
“Cairns is the capital of indigenous tourism in Australia. Nowhere else in the country offers the wealth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences that exist in Far North Queensland.”
Ms Jones said TTNQ would match the funding in kind.
TTNQ chief executive Mark Olsen said the funding would help many of the smaller indigenous tourism operators who could not afford international campaigns.
Jarramali Rock Art Tours owner Johnny Murison said the funding would allow small businesses like his to join larger companies and promote one of the pillars of the destination.
THE FUNDING ANNOUNCED TODAY WILL GO DIRECT TO TTNQ TO MARKET CAIRNS INTERSTATE AND OVERSEAS PREMIER ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK