REACTIONS TO ACCOMMODATION BOOKINGS SITTING AT 70.6 OCCUPANCY SO FAR FOR THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

MAYOR TOM TATE

I’m not surprised as Australians have a habit of booking late. I am confident spectators planning to visit the Gold Coast from places like Brisbane, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Ballina and Lismore will see this as a great opportunity to stay a day or two and soak up the street parties, as well as the sporting competition.

GOLD COAST TOURISM CEO MARTIN WINTER

No surprise as this is the history of every mega event around the world. We are anticipating a significant surge in the last two weeks and hopeful some accommodation options are priced more realistically to ensure that happens. It’s a twoedged sword. People come specifically for the event. Equally others stay away as they don’t want to attend.

MANTRA CEO, TOURISM AUSTRALIA CHAIR BOB EAST

All 23 Mantra Group properties on the Gold Coast are almost at capacity throughout that period. We expect to be fully booked though so head to mantrahotels.com to snap up some of the remaining deals on both affordable and luxury rooms. There are still tickets for the Games and still some rooms available.

COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIR CAMERON CALDWELL

I expected it might have been a little bit higher but I think it is reflective of market trends of people making lastminute bookings. With two weeks to go until it starts and four weeks until it finishes, I mean half of us don’t know what we’re doing on the coming weekend so I don’t have any particularly strong concerns.

GAMES MINISTER KATE JONES

That was in keeping with what the industry has been telling me but the industry also expects we will see increases as we head towards the Games. I have been meeting with Gold Coast tourism and accommodation operators. More and more people do choose to book later.

SURFERS PARADISE MP (LNP), GAMES SHADOW JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK

I understand Queenslanders could be nervous about transport issues but I urge them to get behind the Games, get behind our incredible athletes and take advantage of this once-in-alifetime opportunity.

GOLD COAST TOURISM CHAIR PAUL DONOVAN

I’d have expected it to be slightly higher but there has been a lot written about traffic and transport and that may have scared a few people. We are working hard to make sure we can pick up the occupancy rate for the Games. We have huge campaigns post-Games to drive business. We are doing everything we can.

NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA CEO JONATHAN FISHER

We are quite encouraged — the feeling is the international guests are still coming to the attractions and the positive is if there is still accommodation left then you can still get a room and come and enjoy it.

VILLAGE ROADSHOW THEME PARKS BOSS BIKASH RANDHAWA

We have kept the prices real (at Sea World resort) and will be up on usual. You can’t blame State Government, the tourism body, GOLDOC. It is up to all of us how we conduct ourselves in this environment and those who kept it real are benefiting.

BROADWATER MP (LNP) DAVID CRISAFULLI

I’m hopeful we’ll get the late surge we need to ensure the event is the success we all know it can be. What I’d like State Government to do instead of talking about congestion on the roads and problems with trains is to reassure the public they have everything in hand and instil confidence in people to book their stay.