Accor marina project ‘what region needs’
MARK MURRAY
“very high-end and reputable brand” and would inject significant horsepower to the region’s international tourism market.
“The more international operators that come to town the more international marketing power they bring and that is exactly what we need,” he said.
“It’s a really positive sign for Port Douglas and the entire region and hopefully we are hot on the heels of them.”
The 253-room hotel at the old Havanna Site on Port Douglas Road will include an impressive new rooftop bar and a signature chef restaurant open to all tourists and residents.
Mr York said Crystalbrook’s $250 million transformation of the Port Douglas marina had taken a back seat since the coronavirus pandemic and halt of international visitors.
“We really need to see more internationals and more international flights and a significant increase to what it was even pre-COVID,” he said.
“That is really the trigger for us and that’s when we’ll look at doing something. The pandemic came out of the blue and has pushed the development a little bit down the priority list but we also needed to see some improvements before that.”
Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said he hoped Crystalbrook would see the value of investing in the area, like Chiodo Corp, with a view to being “tourist ready” in two years.
“It’s really exciting that these companies see the Port Douglas region as a worthwhile investment for when we return to normal,” he said.
“That could be two or three years away before the hotels are built but the amount of jobs they would inject into the region in the meantime would be significant.”
It comes as discussions have commenced with the landowners of the former Oaks Resort lap pool site about building a new splash pool swimming precinct.
The site would include a cafe and bar facility and provided easy access via the Bally Hooley Steam Railway train, which council is also investigating taking over.
“We are 100 per cent committed to getting something done because we simply must have a safe water alternative in Port Douglas for when the beach is unavailable,” Mr Kerr said.