Tourism to fight back
Far North hits back after tourism battering
FAR Northern tourism businesses are fighting back to win hearts and minds, supported by an unprecedented campaign for Queenslanders to holiday in their own state. Cairns Aquarium is one of the attractions feeling the squeeze, as coronavirus fears hurt international travel, but the focus is now on the domestic school holidays.
THE bad news for the Far North Queensland tourism industry has just kept coming but the fightback has begun to keep the economy ticking and business afloat.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday launched an unprecedented campaign for Queenslanders to holiday in their own state.
The move comes off the back of a devastating bushfire season, crippling drought, flood, and the coronavirus outbreak, which has led to travel bans, cancelled flights and a drastic drop in visitors to a tourism-reliant Far North Queensland industry that’s already hurting.
The premier has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to match the state’s $27.25 million tourism recovery package, of which $2 million has been directed to an ad campaign to lure southerners across the Queensland border.
News Corp publications are joining the call, with the Cairns Post launching a campaign, with daily coverage gauging the impact on the industry while encouraging locals to holiday at home.
The Cairns Aquarium may be considered a juvenile in the Far North Queensland tourism industry, at three years old, but it’s a heavy hitter in drawing people to the region, educating the public and working collaboratively.
Cairns Aquarium CEO and founder Daniel Leipnik said times were tough but he has a refreshingly upbeat take on the hard knocks the industry is facing. He said there was a “definite decline in February” on the back of a strong January.
“We were also expecting that, because it’s one of the quietest months of the year,” he said.
Kids heading back to school, businesspeople knuckling down and people reining in spending are key reasons.
“The coronavirus definitely has had an impact on the whole tourism industry in Cairns,” he said.
“From talking to other operators we are very well aware that there are some declines for much of the industry.
“There are concerns about air travel and I think overall concerns keeping people from going on holiday.
“Ultimately a holiday is something you don’t have to do right now and you can put off. Until that virus has settled or at least some confidence is in the market, the numbers are going to be pretty much subdued.”
The doom and gloom reality of the virus – its global spread and growing death toll – will hurt the industry but it’s not a deal breaker, Mr Leipnik believes. Instead, he sees opportunity for savvy operators to change their focus and lure a domestic market that could be reluctant to wing over waters.
“I think we are going to see a very interesting thing happen over the next few months,” he said. “I think a lot of Australians will be concerned about travelling overseas.
“The concern could be contracting the virus overseas but it could also be the fear that if they go overseas they may have trouble getting back.
“So there is a very considerable amount of Australians that go to Bali, Fiji, Thailand and Vietnam, and I would imagine a large amount of Australians are going to want to spend their time in Australia.”
Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are key markets, with Mr Leipnik saying many southerners had still never visited Cairns, which is considered a stable, safe place.
“I think we will find when the school holidays come and with the colder months down south, people will be saying where are the safe places I’ve never really considered before?”
What if the virus continues its dreadful march around the world, impacting Australian domestic tourism?
“I’ve got faith in the medical system here, also in the fact that we are a first-world country with 25 million people who enjoy their holidays,” Mr Leipnik said. “I do believe the domestic flights will continue and there is a potential that some of those international flights will get cut but again I remain optimistic that a vaccine will be found.
“I think we are in for a few more months of concern but I do see this will lift because there is a lot of effort towards it. With the resources the world has I see light at the end of the tunnel.”