CASH IN THE CHIPS

Far North's marketing hand revealed as Cairns casino opens

THE Far North’s tourism industry has revealed its national marketing plans as a staged recovery begins to crawl back an estimated $2.5 billion in lost revenue this year due to COVID-19.

It comes as airlines announce more flights to the Far North and one of the city’s main employers and tourist attractions, the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, opens its doors after three months. Casino chief operating officer Paul McHenry (left) is delighted that the gaming room swings into action at noon.

A COUNTRY-WIDE marketing strategy aimed at salvaging “every last opportunity” for the region’s crippled tourism industry will be put into place to help combat a forecast $2.5 billion loss in visitor spending.

Among the list of initiatives are increased marketing being pushed out in locations across the country and a council-led charge for urgent “recovery packages” from the State and Federal Governments.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen said the theme across its $12.4 million campaign in the next 12 months would be on promoting the region as a backyard holiday destination that was equal to or better than international locations.

“A key to our success is rebuilding a love of the region with domestic travellers,” Mr Olsen said.

“Australians take about 9.5 million overseas trips a year that’s worth about $50 billion, so we want to capture that market, especially during this time.

“We’ll be focusing on experiences that are truly unique to us, which are equivalent to or better than anywhere else in the word.”

Mr Olsen said that while there would be different marketing campaigns for each state and territory, TTNQ had partnered with airlines to implement price-led initiatives for NSW while it would work with travel agents Expedia and Ignite in Victoria.

Another campaign set for later this year is to dispel the misconception that FNQ has only the wet and visitor seasons. On Wednesday, TTNQ chairwoman Wendy Morris said the forecast $2.5 billion loss by year’s end was twothirds of the annual figure.

“We are in the middle of peak season so we have to salvage every last opportunity we can to get those visitors up here,” she said.

While Ms Morris was “enormously relieved and grateful” about the easing of restrictions in Queensland, she said the barring of Victorians from crossing the Queensland border “does leave a gap”.

“It accounts for about 20 per cent of our domestic visitors spending about $2 million a day,” she said.

Ms Morris said Port Douglas was one of the hardest-hit areas.

“It does get 60 per cent of its visitors from Victoria at this time of the year, spending about $5 million a week,” Ms Morris said.

She said Victoria would be included in the marketing.

“It’s been all systems go with things gradually opening up,” she said.

“We’re retaining our marketing in the Victorian market because people are still making bookings forward on the assumption the border will become open.”

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said he would lead the lobbying for “recovery packages” from the state and federal governments to “reset this city for the future”.

“What we’ve got to do now is to make sure the money we invest into Cairns is … money that adds to the generating capacity and economic growth of Cairns,” Cr Manning said.

Asked about how much the council would be asking for, Cr Manning said “large amounts”.