Granite Belt and Scenic Rim tourism industry booming
While many tourism destinations have been left reeling after the coronavirus pandemic, one Queensland region is going gangbusters.
QLD Business
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CHRISTMAS has come early for southern Queensland tourism operators.
Ravaged by drought, fire and the coronavirus lockdown, the region west of Brisbane and the Gold Coast is experiencing a record-breaking winter as travellers flock to the Granite Belt and Scenic Rim.
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Some properties are booked out until September after a perfect recipe of easing restrictions, pent-up wanderlust and a massive market forced in to annual leave or cancelled overseas holidays all converged with the region’s traditional peak season.
In an extraordinary recovery from the coronavirus shutdown, many hotels and homestays normally full only on weekends are now booked solid seven nights a week.
In a rarity among Queensland tourism destinations, the region depends largely on the southeast’s vast population to make up the bulk of visitors, rendering the impact of border closures largely irrelevant once intrastate travel resumptions came in to effect last month.
Southern Queensland Country CEO Peter Homan said the region was ‘smashing records’ for the vital winter recovery.
“A lot of the tourism businesses are reporting fantastic trade and great bookings,” he said.
“We’re almost isolated from the border closures as 90 per cent of our visitation is from southeast Queensland and they have really responded.
“There were some issues with the restaurants and cafes initially, but with a lot of the restrictions easing, that’s made it a lot easier for them now and the visitors are really responding.
“We’re seeing some accommodation operators booked solid through until September, so it’s been an amazing result.”
The Granite Belt Christmas Farm traditionally holds a spectacular Christmas in July celebration, but while it will be scaled back this year, owners Brad and Katrina Fraser are still expecting big crowds.
“We’ve been getting inundated with visitors,” said Mrs Fraser.
“It’s been brilliant.
“We usually have a good weekend of trade but even midweek it’s still busy.
“We’re going through a keg of hot chocolate a day.”
Last year the region welcomed 2.4 million visitors, who injected $880 million in to the economy of communities including Stanthorpe, Toowoomba, Warwick and Kingaroy.