Keeping the ball rolling

Twelve ways to boost city when the Commonwealth Games finishes

FORGET ‘All I want for Christmas’ – these are the dozen must-have items Gold Coast Tourism believes will boost the city post-Commonwealth Games.

A cable car to the Hinterland, dive wreck off the coast and direct flight to the United States are all on the wish list, along with calls for an improved M1 and light rail extension to the airport. The tourism body has also repeated its call for a cruise ship terminal that it says will “bring tens of thousands of new visitors to the city”. The brain child of Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan (pictured), the 12 items will form the backbone of the organisation’s 2018-2023 Destination Tourism Management Plan, a document that acts as a “road map” for its strategic priorities. “We think there is enough going on that 2018 could be a strong year even without the Games … but if we start to get these 12 things in place that momentum can continue,” director of corporate affairs and strategy Dean Gould said.

“One of our roles is to advise the city’s leaders where the touch points are and what needs to happen to ensure we remain competitive on the global stage.”

Mr Gould said a Hinterland cable car had the potential to save the very national parks opponents of the concept were fighting to protect.

“Gold Coast Tourism is completely confused why there is such resistance to this,” he said.

“Shutting off these national parks is not going to save them. We have to make them famous so people around the world want to save them … and today’s technology means the environmental footprint on these things is absolutely minimised.

“Springbrook is such a hidden gem. It’s world-class but not well-known enough … as well as a cable car, we have to add assets like world-class walking trails and overnight lodges that can blend into the environment.

“It’s just got to happen.” Mr Gould said its push for a direct flight to the west coast of the US came on the back of an 18 per cent growth in American tourists to the city during the past year.