Sector as virus impact hits

curred before Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan and Ms Battista briefed councillors on the impact of coronavirus and sought $2 million in emergency funding.

Mr Donovan, who has just returned from Singapore, warned councillors that “we cannot over-estimate the impact of coronavirus” which could cause losses of between $450 million and $500 million.

The health crisis was not just stopping Chinese travel but impacting on the Japanese and Korean markets, he said. “We need to be out there as hard as we can (promoting the Gold Coast),” he said.

Ms Battista said coronavirus would have a worse impact on the Glitter Strip than SARS or the global financial crisis.

She said the cost would be $500 million if coronavirus was “neutralised today”.

“It’s really crunch time. The sector needs help,” she said.

After going into a closed session, councillors resolved to provide $1 million in emergency tourism funding.

Some of the 3500 small businesses on the Coast working at the tourism coalface were shedding staff as up to nine aviation routes from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to Asia were impacted by the coronavirus.

New marketing campaigns were focused on the domestic market and New Zealand as Destination Gold Coast had not “frozen” like some other regional tourism bodies, Ms Battista said.

“No one is going to take New Zealand at the moment,” she said.

“That’s a market that’s strong for the Gold Coast.”