INSTA HIT
Coast tourism hotspot beats Sydney Harbour
Surfers Paradise is the second-most hashtagged place in the country
SURFERS Paradise – criticised for lacking heart and a pulse by leading city figures recently – still shines for visitors as one of the most hashtagged places in Australia.
The tourism hotspot’s beach has been officially ranked by Instagram as the second-most hashtagged place in the country, beaten only by Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach.
Surfers beach beat Sydney Harbour, which was third, and Sydney Harbour Bridge in fourth. Last year, Surfers beach was third behind the Sydney Opera House and Sydney’s Darling Harbour.
Surfers’ mention in the 2017 top 10 was welcomed by Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter.
“It confirms that Surfers Paradise ... is a sort of aspirational, dreamlike spot in people’s minds,” he said.
Former Surfers Paradise nightclub kingpin Billy Cross, who now concentrates on festivals and his successful Manpower shows, said Surfers needed to be “fixed” in public comments last week.
Mr Cross, who sold out of his nightclubs in the mid-2000s, told a City Leaders Young Professionals forum that strict liquor laws and general aggro were taking the fun out of the town.
Mr Winter told the Bulletin: “Surfers Paradise delivers to millions of visitors every year exactly what they are looking for.”
But in last weekend’s Bulletin, developer and Meriton Group founder Harry Triguboff said the “vibrant heart” of Surfers had stalled.
To be on the international stage, he advised a retail-dining area expansion north along The Esplanade, which was world-class.
“The addition of Soul, with its retail and alfresco dining options and high-end apartments, has extended ... the Surfers tourism CBD. That should be seen only as a starting point,” Mr Triguboff wrote.