Getaways up, long weekend looking down for restaurateurs disappointed by Ekka move

There has been a large surge in demand for Queensland holidays following the relocation of the Ekka public holiday, but restaurant owners say the move is “catastrophic” for the Brisbane hospitality industry.

There has been a large surge in demand for Queensland holidays following the relocation of the Ekka public holiday but restaurant owners say the move is “catastrophic” for the Brisbane hospitality industry.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday the holiday would now fall on Friday, October 29th which restaurateurs have described as another blow to trade following snap lockdowns.

Restaurant and Catering Australia CEO Wes Lambert said the association had reached out to the state government as soon as the Ekka was cancelled to express industry views that the public holiday should not be moved to a usually-busy trading day.

“We offered an alternative to have the public holiday be on a Monday which would still allow for a three-day weekend and as the recent announcement shows, that request was ignored,” Mr Lambert said.

“That will lead to thousands of hospitality businesses to see increased costs at a time when they are just recovering from a disastrous Covid-19 year.”

The Premier encouraged residents to holiday at home during the new People’s Long Weekend while Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe touted trips to the coast, promoting the Noosa Triathlon and Beach 5s Rugby on the Gold Coast.

Queensland travel interest on Wotif surged more than 1000 per cent in the hour after the announcement, compared to same time last week, as weary Brisbanites rushed to make holiday bookings for the new ‘spring break’ holiday weekend.

In the first day following the date’s revelation, the website recorded a jump of more than 3000 per cent.

The Gold Coast (up 5600 per cent), Sunshine Coast (up 3200 per cent) and Fraser Coast (2500 per cent) were the main movers, but more than a dozen destinations across the state recorded huge jumps in booking interest, underlining predictions the new long weekend would generate up to $130 million for the state’s battered tourism industry.

While the holiday has given hope to tourism operators, E’cco Bistro co-owner Mary Randles said Brisbane residents were being coaxed to leave the city on the hospital industry’s busiest day of trade.

Philip Johnson and Mary Randles from E’cco Bistro in Newstead. Picture: Josh Woning

“The government is talking about creating business for Noosa and the Gold Coast, but obviously people would still have gone to those places had they made the public holiday a Monday instead.

“This decision has come from someone sitting in an office who’s decided he’d like to have a Friday, Saturday Sunday off, probably take Monday off and then have Tuesday off for Melbourne Cup.

“It’s very disappointing and from our end we just think it’s catastrophic.”

The state’s construction unions are the big winners of the controversial move to relocate the public holiday which will give Queensland union members a six-day holiday.

Industry and enterprise bargaining agreements means CFMEU and Electrical Trades Union members are already entitled to take November 1, 2 and 3 as registered days off.

Brisbane coffee king Phillip Di Bella said once again the hospitality industry came in last.

“Outside of government, the hospitality industry is the largest employer in Queensland so to not listen to those people is criminal,” Mr Di Bella said.

Mr Lambert said Restaurant and Catering Australia would lobby for the Ekka public holiday to return to a Wednesday in 2022.