Experience Gold Coast shares update on delays of the Love GC cards
An elderly Gold Coast resident says she’s still waiting to be able to claim her Love GC tourism promotion bonus card weeks after buying it as rollout bungle gripes continue.
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An elderly Gold Coast resident says she’s still waiting to be able to claim her Love GC tourism promotion bonus card weeks after buying it as rollout bungle gripes continue.
On March 31, the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) and Experience Gold Coast announced the release of $50 ‘Love GC cards’ which give purchasers a bonus $50 to use at various Gold Coast attractions.
The launch coincided with what Experience Gold Coast later described as a “technical issue” after buyers fumed they were unable able to access gift cards for hours and in some cases days after purchase.
“This created a backlog, and for a short period of time, there were extended wait times for customer service,” an Experience Gold Coast spokesperson said.
Now Carrara resident Vernia Bullivant, 81, said she is still waiting on hers after almost three weeks.
“I was told to get my $100 card online but kept getting a message ‘the requested content does not exist’,” she said.
“I called the appropriate phone number and was on hold for over an hour on three occasions. I’m 81 and have spent hours trying to follow up on my Love GC card. Do they exist?
“Not good enough.”
An Experience Gold Coast spokesperson acknowledged issues which “stemmed form a third-party card supplier” were “frustrating and disappointing” for customers.
“Experience Gold Coast has been actively supporting customers to ensure a smoother experience moving forward.”
The spokesperson confirmed more than 80 per cent of the 50,000 card holders had already used them or “know where they are planning to spend their cards”.
“It’s been wonderful to see such strong community engagement supporting our tourism businesses after the impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred,” they said.
“The Love GC cards play a vital role in stimulating our visitor economy and supporting operators in a time of need.”
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Originally published as Experience Gold Coast shares update on delays of the Love GC cards
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