Culinary tourism on LNP’s promise menu
TREVOR Watts said the Darling Downs’ food and produce was on the menu of the LNP’s latest funding announcement, which would explore more opportunities in culinary tourism.
The $1.5 million Taste of Queensland package announcement at Queens Park yesterday morning was already revealed by Opposition leader Tim Nicholls the day before, with a focus on what fresh food, wine and produce each region could offer.
Toowoomba North’s Mr Watts expanded on the plan, saying wine from the Granite Belt and beef from the Darling Downs would be further highlighted by operators to improve stagnant domestic and international tourism numbers in the region.
“The Taste of Queensland package will deliver $1.5 million and ensure the people when they arrive in Queensland consider Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and Granite Belt as an opportunity to come and try great wine, cheese and beef from our region,” he said.
“Tourism numbers have been increasing very slightly, but are increasing at a much slower rate than the other states, and we’re missing out on jobs and opportunities.”
Culinary tourism has been supported by both Southern Queensland Country Tourism and the Wagner-backed Tourism Darling Downs group as an untapped opportunity.
Mr Watts could not confirm how much of the funding SQCT would get.