Business tourism booms, turns to world

DARLING Downs tourism is booming and a major driver is a strong and busy business sector seeking out opportunities.

Now that demand is going global with businesses signing on to a trade mission to Hong Kong to expand and develop local enterprises.

“The statistics indicate the large part of the tourism spend in Toowoomba is business related,” according to Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise executive chairman Shane Charles.

“It’s the people coming in to work here, largely because of the emerging role of agriculture, resources, coal seam gas and the events in the region.”

The group’s delegation to Hong Kong later this year will form part of the region’s history with the largest plane to touch down at Wellcamp airport, but also taking a contingent of tourists direct to Asia.

The one-way flight option is open to general travellers in what Mr Charles said was designed to take Toowoomba to the world.

“This is the first 747 passenger flight to Hong Kong and we want to make sure people in Toowoomba can be part of history,” he said.

“We’ve got a bigger plane this year so we’ve got the room to take more people.

“The message is we need you involved, and we’d love to have you involved.”

While another milestone for the airport and wider Darling Downs region, Mr Charles said regular international passenger flights were a “long way off”.

“Everyone is thinking of that way too much,” Mr Charles said.

“Realistically we are a long way from getting an international passenger flight.

“That’s not to say it’s not going to happen, but I can’t see it happening in the next few years.”