Mirage next stage set

THE new owners of the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas plan to start work on the next stage of the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the property early next year.

The $43 million upgrade of the hotel was opened by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday with Fullshare Group general manager Yi Yu revealing the next stage in 2017.

He said it would involve a convention centre, as well as early work on a six-star villa complex on the southern beach frontage of the integrated resort.

Ms Palaszczuk (right) said the message from a tourism conference in Cairns this week was:

“Let’s get ready – let’s make sure Queensland leads the nation when it comes to delivering the best tourism experience,” she said.

“No other state is doing this. Our whole government is focused on growing the tourism industry

“Mr Yu said to me, ‘this is about jobs’.”

Treasurer Curtis Pitt, also at the opening, said Queensland had a huge stake in tourism, in which the Chinese market was growing rapidly.

He said of the $22 billion worth of major tourism projects planned in Australia, $17 billion was planned for Queensland.

“We now have four of the major banks in China having branches established in our state ... an increased opportunity for investment, an increased opportunity for banking for Chinese investors,” Mr Pitt said.

Other special guests were Fullshare chairman Changqun Ji, Chinese Consul-General Dr Zhao Yongchen and China Development Bank officials.