Cairns Covid-19: Traders fear crowds could stay away from Far North, despite reopening date
Confusion over Covid testing and other requirements for holiday-makers from Victoria and NSW is steering potential money spenders away from the Far North. HAVE YOUR SAY
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CONFUSION over Covid testing and other requirements for holiday-makers from Victoria and New South Wales could steer potential money spenders away from the Far North, with Hawaii floated as a safer option.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said Cairns and peak-season starved businesses were at a significant disadvantage without a fixed date for quarantine-free international travel and the spectre of regional lockdowns, if 80 per cent vaccination targets are not met by Christmas.
It comes on the back of fears the region could miss out on a boom in international visitors as the Melbourne and Sydney-based governments up the stakes with overseas markets.
Mr Olsen said airlines and consumers “are making decisions today” on where and when they will travel, and although operators are reporting a significant boost in bookings since the December 17 date was announced, there are many questions surrounding the state’s Covid protocols.
“Many callers are seeking clarification on the need for a negative Covid test, as this is different to other state’s requirements,” he said.
“Ideally the way Australians travel within Australia would be the same for all states and territories, and our vaccination rate reaching 80% would be sufficient to protect our community without the need for the additional step of PCR testing.”
One reader, from Victoria, told the Cairns Post he had opted to spend his festive break in Hawaii over Cairns due to previous trips being cancelled and a lack of trust in the government’s reopening road map.
“Cairns won’t just be missing international tourists,” he said.
“As a Vic resident, I have had to cancel two Queensland holidays in four months.
“Given the uncertainty over state borders, I have booked 17 days in Hawaii over Christmas.”
Cairns Chamber of Commerce boss Patricia O’Neil said many traders remained doubtful the crowds would come.
“The consensus has been although the date has been announced there is significant confusion on whether we’ll actually get the visitors we need,” she said.
Mr Olsen said the Cairns Airport and regional tourism bodies have been calling for aviation investment to turbo charge the region post-Covid.
But he backed the state government to invest in key airline routes such as Singapore.
“The time has come to get back on the front foot with our airline partners with a date for international and domestic quarantine-free travel, a plan, and an investment fund to secure the State’s and Tropical North Queensland’s aviation-led recovery,” he said.
EARLIER: Key tourism figures in Cairns are concerned the Far North could miss out on a golden opportunity to entice international visitors as other states aggressively target overseas travel markets.
With Queensland’s border still seven weeks from reopening to the rest of the country and with a 90 per cent vaccination threshold for international tourists, there are fears Cairns could be left in the wake of New South Wales and Victoria as a post-Covid destination.
Cairns Airport boss Richard Barker said he was fearful the region could miss a travel boom without aviation support from the Queensland Government and high vaccination rates, adding the state could be “months behind” others.
“We think the 90 per cent threshold for international is a high benchmark given other states are opening to international travel at 80 per cent,” he said.
“That may mean Queensland is some months behind in attracting international flights and visitors.
“Our return as an airport and a region hinges on vaccination rates.”
It comes as the NSW government forked out $60m – matched by $60 million from Sydney Airport – to attract international airline routes, and others states are tipped to follow.
To play their part with the double dose targets, the Cairns airport has even opened a pop-up clinic at the domestic terminal.
Advance Cairns CEO Dr Paul Sparshott said NSW and Victoria had taken the lead with plans to reopen to international travel.
“We might miss out if we don't move quickly,” he said.
“It’s a super competitive world and they have the edge at the moment, there is absolutely no doubt about that.”
“90 per cent is a high bar to get and what happens if we don’t make it?
“I think we need to be flexible and readjust if needed, and have a plan B.”
Reef giant Quicksilver’s manager director, Tony Baker, said overseas travellers were “probably more important to our destination than anywhere in Australia”, accounting for more than 50 per cent of tourism and attraction bookings.
“They provide at least half of all bookings because they are coming here for once in a lifetime trips,” he said.
“But we are concerned about tomorrow let alone when December or January comes.
“We are in a whole new environment, but I do think it’s fantastic we have a date and we can focus on welcoming NSW and Victorian visitors back.”
It comes as Far Northerners are preparing to snap up cheap overseas flights from airlines such as Jetstar, who are opening routes to Japan in February and Bali in April.
Fully vaccinated Aussies are able to leave the country or fly – quarantine-free – into Sydney and Melbourne from November 1.
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