Funds to keep tourism afloat
$74m to rebuild state’s tourism
FAR North tourism operators are bracing for a challenging wet season and hoping for an easing of border restrictions as they try to bounce back from a COVID-ravaged year. Kuranda River Boat Cruises owner Warren Clinton said support, like the $74m state package announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, would be important.
FAR North tourism operators are counting on a flood of support to get them through the upcoming wet season as the Palaszczuk government announced its election commitment to help the industry.
The state government has said it would invest a further $74m to help rebuild Queensland’s tourism industry, if re-elected.
Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Rebuilding Queensland Tourism investment would help position the state to fast-track tourism recovery and restore thousands of tourism jobs.
“This plan capitalises on the fact that Queensland has a competitive advantage because of our strong health response, placing us in the box seat for tourism recovery,” the Premier said.
“The special one-off funding injection of $15m to regional tourism organisations will enable them to better market their destinations and drive more tourism around the state.”
Kuranda River Boat Cruises owner Warren Clinton said his longrunning business was down 50 per cent on visitors this year.
“Tourism is going to need support over the wet season because that’s normally where the international market is strongest,” he said.
“Australians don’t travel much to the tropics in the summer, but you get a lot of visitors from the northern hemisphere looking to get away from the cold, plus the Chinese visitors around Chinese new year.”
Mr Clinton said bigger tourism operators would need the most support due to having higher operating costs, but smaller operators such as himself shouldn’t be left in the lurch.
“You need the smaller operators to support the bigger ones since a lot of them are affiliated and pass on their deals to each other,” he said.
“Looking at how much revenue the Far North brings in from tourism, the government has to support it even if the bigger guys get the largest share. Any help the government gives, they’ll get it back in revenue so it’s win-win.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen welcomed the pledge.
“Tourism operators and their staff, who account for one in five jobs in our community, have been eagerly awaiting the tourism policies of the major parties to support businesses and unlock the 2021 potential of the region’s tourism sector to drive Queensland’s economic recovery,” he said. “It is vital that these investments are overseen by a tourism minister with a senior cabinet role and that essential support is provided for an aviation-led recovery.”
Barron River MP Craig Crawford said the plan would include funding for FNQ tourism organisations. “Local operators will also get assistance for training in business capability, and state tourism leaders will market the Far North to more visitors,” Mr Crawford said.
Cairns MP Michael Healy said the plan would build on other funding. “This new plan will also add to a recent $11.3m package to boost Far North Queensland tourism,” he said.
Cook MP Cynthia Lui said a plan for the Wangetti Trail would also be important. “Once again that shows how our government values the tourism potential of our region, all the way to the Cape and Torres Strait,” Ms Lui said.
Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said that following on from the Cairns Convention Centre redevelopment, the ALP was “planning more ways to attract visitors to our region”.