Cairns Covid: Tourism operators prepare for interstate visitors amid huge fines for unruly customers
Cautious optimism is in the air as the Far North prepares to welcome back visitors despite an international traveller testing positive to Covid.
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THERE is an air of cautious optimism in the Far North as the region prepares to welcome back visitors en masse from next week, despite Cairns being put on Covid alert after an international traveller tested positive.
Authorities have now confirmed the traveller has the Omicron variant of the virus.
Queensland Health listed several exposure sites on Monday night, including Cairns Airport and a flight from Sydney to Cairns, after the man was found to be positive during routine testing in hotel quarantine.
The person was infectious on the flight to Cairns on the morning of Friday, December 3, with the Tropical Public Health Services informing close contacts.
Despite the scare, Cairns recorded no new positive cases yesterday and the economy is gearing up for a much-needed boost when interstate visitors are allowed back to the tropics on December 13.
Crystalbrook Collection general manager Joel Gordon said their three hotels had seen unprecedented forward bookings in the past two weeks.
“If it’s been a tough year for us, we can only spare a thought for the likes of Melburnians who have endured the longest lockdowns in the world,” he said.
“It is little wonder they’ve been dreaming of open spaces and poolside cocktails.
“When those borders open in less than five days, we’ll be ready.”
It comes as customers who become unruly to pub, cafe and restaurant staff once the December 17 vaccine mandate begins will face huge fines, with Far North operators raising some concerns over policing strategies.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said people who become abusive and deliberately spit, cough or sneeze on hospitality workers will face $1378 on-the-spot fines or up to $13,000 and six months’ jail if convicted in court.
Cairns restaurant and pub owner Paul Harris said there was still confusion over how to enforce the new rules to unvaccinated patrons.
“I’ve got three separate hospitality businesses, I can’t be in three places at once,” he said.
“It’s not really fair on the staff to have to deal with verbal or physical abuse by someone that doesn’t want to get vaccinated, or who wants to come in for a coffee or a beer but can’t.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen said businesses were “within their legal rights” to remove noncomplying people from hospitality premises.
“We are going to be looking for additional staffing to ensure that people are doing positive check-ins,” he said.
Cairns Chamber of Commerce boss Patricia O’Neill said she was confident there would be minimal problems in Cairns.
“Christmas and New Year’s is about being reunited with family and being happy, and the last thing we need is to unnecessary upset people just because they are doing a job,” she said.
“We don’t want to be going down that track and wasting time on unnecessary belligerence to a public health directive.”
Queensland Health has been contacted for comment.
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