Bleaching threat to Reef town economies

GREAT Barrier Reef tourist towns have to “revitalise the marine experience” to protect coral- dependent economies ahead of future mass bleaching events, a new report shows.

Cairns, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays are particularly vulnerable to the impact of coral bleaching on the natural wonder that earns $ 6.4 billion a year for the state.

“We know tourism figures are down,’’ report author Professor Bruce Prideaux, of CQUniversity, said yesterday.

“But what are we going to do about it?”

Prof Prideaux said the TripAdvisor suggestion to “see the Reef before it dies” painted a negative picture for overseas tourists after back- to- back bleaching events, with total visitor expenditure in Cairns down by 6 per cent last year.

His 107- page report, launched by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, suggests broadening the range of tourism experiences.

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre’s Sheridan Morris, who co- funded the report, said many reef tourism operators had been criticised for “putting their heads in the sand”.

“It’s a fact, we need more pillars to the economy in these tourist- dependent towns,’’ she said. “But we’ve got good science, fantastic operators and a capacity to grow the industry, we just need to be prepared for future bleaching.’’

Cairns MP Michael Healy, a former- tourism operator, questioned the push to “reinvent” new reef products.

“It’s a multi- billion industry and it is as straightforward as getting people out to experience the living wonder,” he said.