From second last in 2021 to a top four team this year, the North Queensland Cowboys’ run to the NRL finals has boosted an already-busy school holiday period for Townsville’s tourism operators, injecting $7 million into the region’s economy.

The Cowboys will host the Parramatta Eels in the grand-final qualifier on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd in Townsville. It’s a chance for the teams’ grassroots supporters and local tourism operators to put their memories of COVID-19 shutdowns behind them.