Levy could give region funds for marketing

THE biggest issues facing our local governments will be thrashed out at a three-day LGAQ forum in our fair city. The most important issues to be discussed no doubt will be housing, crime and Cairns Regional Council’s controversial tourism levy.

Most Queensland councils are affected by all three, but for FNQ councils they’re particularly important.

Mayor Bob Manning will have his chance to put the tourism levy front row centre but even if the motion to allow councils to implement a levy is passed there will be a stakeholders public relations exercise ahead.

Objectors believe it’s just another impost on visitors even though it will be a pittance on a bucket list experience.

They say it’s a tax we can’t afford as we go up against other destinations post Covid. Cairns is an expensive destination and we only need to cast our mind back to pre-Covid times to remember that tourism was battling for international tourists off the back of weak destination marketing and dire Reef messaging.

Thankfully we have returned to marketing the region as Cairns being the gateway to the Reef and building regional experiences off that. However, marketing isn’t cheap and all regions are vying for the government dollar. The industry needs to have a reliable income stream and who better to pay than the user themselves?

Domestic visitors have returned in their droves to the Far North over the past six months but I would argue airline ticket and accommodation prices which have now hit ridiculous highs will do more harm for our future than a tourism levy if they don’t recalibrate soon.

The Far North will need a war chest to reach markets to sell the idea that we’re worth the money.