Firms call for local backing as trade dips
RESTAURANTS and retailers have urged Cairns residents to keep supporting them during one of the toughest Chinese New Year periods in recent history.
Jewellery and crystal specialist Swarovski’s Abbott St store usually receives up to 60 per cent of its takings from Chinese customers.
During the lunar new year, that figure rises to 90 per cent but this year sales have dropped by about half.
Sales consultant Vivian Zhang said more local customers would be greatly appreciated.
“This shop is very popular with Chinese tourists so the lack of flights and the cancellation of Hainan Airlines is affecting us,” she said.
“This shop opened two years earlier than the Cairns Central store so it’s always been popular with locals.
“The last two weeks we should have seen many more Chinese customers than we did. For locals, it’s great to have a big international brand like this in the CBD and we have a lot of great items for gifts.”
Ms Zhang said while jewellery was popular with international customers, crystal figurines were snapped up by locals.
THE fear of coronavirus lingering over Cairns’ annual Chinese celebration was all but forgotten on Saturday night, as the community came out to celebrate the Year of the Rat.
Large crowds gathered on Grafton Street to enjoy the food markets, cultural performances, firecracker displays and an exciting Chinese dragon show by the Cairns and District Chinese Association team.
With the flow of Chinese visitors drying up, this year’s
Check out the photo gallery event had a focus on the local community.
Festival spokeswoman Fiona John said while crowd numbers were slightly down this year, they had been preparing for that since well before the virus outbreak, thanks in part to the loss of many Chinese flights from last year.
“Tourism numbers are down but it really hasn’t affected the event overall, the locals have come out and supported our event,” she said.
“We’ve got a huge Chinese community and the locals of Cairns love a good street festival.
“We’re really fortunate in Cairns, there haven’t been any coronavirus cases recorded here.
“All told, the street festival had a great turnout – it was the first time in a couple of years that it hasn’t rained, so we had the sunshine out, as well as lots of great food and entertainment.”
Edge Hill resident Giovanni Mancini said he noticed the smaller turnout compared to previous years, but felt the festival put on a good show nonetheless.
“We come every year, and this is the first time in a while without the rain, so we’ve really enjoyed what they’ve put out for us,” he said.