Far North Queensland tourism industry reeling from COVID-19 hit

Queensland’s far north is bleeding $10 million a week as closed borders and a lack of flights deliver a blow to the region’s economy similar to that of a category five cyclone looming off the coast.

CAIRNS and Port Douglas are begging for tourists – but flights are exorbitant, the Reef fleet is tied up, rainforest tours stopped, and most local attractions and shopfronts are still shuttered.

In a brutal reality for the tourism industry in far north Queensland, it’s like a category-five cyclone looms just off the coast as the local economy bleeds out at a rate of $10 million a week.

Under the cloud of COVID-19, the fate of the tourist dollar in our beloved tropical north all hinges on flights and open borders.

“Everyone in Cairns and Port Douglas is in pain,’’ local tourism identity Dominic Davies said.

“Until we open up the border to other states, we won’t get the volume for airlines to put on flights.

“Until then, we’re stuffed.’’

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Samantha Porter, with her husband Julian and daughters Lucette, 4, and Sienna, 2, knows the importance of domestic tourism to the Australian economy. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The Courier-Mail yesterday contacted prominent Cairns travel agent Mercedes Gonzalez to book a tropical getaway for a week – with a hotel, reef and rainforest tours and dining out – for a family-of-four from Brisbane in Cairns from this Saturday.

“Unfortunately there are no available flights,” Ms Gonzalez said.

“The next available flight is June 11 with Rex Air via Mount Isa at a cost for four people of $3296 one way.”

Anecdotal reports reveal businessmen wanting to fly from Brisbane to Cairns paid similar exorbitant costs and had to fly to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, then Darwin, before flying on to Cairns.

“We can get you all back to Brisbane on Virgin on June 18 at a much more reasonable price of $920 total one-way,’’ the travel agent said.

Reef trips and a rainforest tour will also be difficult, she said, because many have limited operations are not taking yet bookings.

Flights schedules for July are “more frequent and cheaper” with a $1751 cost to fly Jetstar for a family of four at the start of the school holidays on June 27 – and the return leg costs $672.

“We desperately need a date to open up our borders and welcome our southern friends,’’ Ms Gonzalez said.

“If we miss this season, some of us won’t see the next.’’

A Qantas Group spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail: “Qantas and Jetstar will be adding more flights on intra-Queensland routes in the near future”.

“And then interstate flights once the borders are opened up and demand comes back,’’ she said.

“We are keen to not only reunite family and friends but importantly help tourism operators get back on their feet.’’

At the popular Chill Café in Palm Cove, owner Tony Moore and his team are grappling with the new world order of seating and takeaways.

“Equally, we’re desperate for some form of a winter tourist season,’’ Mr Moore said.

“What better way to escape the cabin fever and big smoke, than to head north with the family and sit under a palm tree on the beach?”

Portofino hostess Elyssa Cawood and Chill Cafe waiter Scott Barry are ready to serve tourists at Palm Cove beach, Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

At the Reef Fleet terminal yesterday, almost the entire 50-strong fleet of reef boats were tied up with many undergoing maintenance and repairs.

As if to illustrate the dire predicament, The Courier-Mail encountered a deckhand with a broom trying to scoop up a $20 note he’d spotted floating by on the water in the marina.

“These are tough times,’’ he laughed.

“You’ve got to grab every dollar you can.”

Gareth Phillips, of the state’s peak body for marine tourism operators, said it was not viable for many operators to take the existing limit of 20 passengers to the outer reef and back.

“It’s a double-edged sword, intrastate visitors are usually about five per cent of our business.

“Tourists from other states are about 30 per cent of our customers.

“Even with 20 people on a boat, it’s probably not worth the $1000 in diesel to take them out.

“That’s why notice of a date of opening of borders is critical, it gives us a time lag to make plans and get ready.”

Salthouse restaurant owner and businessman Lui Garozzo, who also supplies fresh produce to restaurants and cafes in Cairns and Port Douglas, said it was time to open up.

“It’s all in or nothing. You can’t be half-pregnant or half-divorced,’’ the Total Food Network boss said.

“It’s costs us more to keep business open at 20 than it is to be at zero.’’

Queensland’s border with New South Wales remains closed. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Today inner-city Cairns resembles a building site where the once bikini-clad tourists have been replaced by workmen in high-vis at the fenced-off and emptied Lagoon on the Esplanade, with plans to re-open next month.

Meanwhile, luxury hotels like the Hilton and Shangri-la in Cairns, and the Sheraton Mirage at Port Douglas are offering deals as cheap as $150 a night with a $50 food voucher to get visitors to come and stay.

Gold Coast mother Samantha Porter and founding director of Aussie Bucket List, said she booked a holiday at the Sunshine Coast as soon as restrictions lifted.

The mother of two said it was important for Australians to travel in their own country to boost the economy and support small business and regional tourism before spending that money overseas.

“We definitely would love to go to the Cape York Peninsula afterwards and back to Cairns where my husband and I met as our girls haven’t been there yet,” she said.

“There is so much to see in our country … when people go to visit waterfalls for example, they also go to a cafe for lunch or go to the local shops, it has a knock on effect.”