Healthy bookings for last long weekend before border opens

Bookings are flying in for Queensland’s last long weekend before the borders open. But even with some areas more than 80 per cent booked out, there are still good deals to be had.

Bookings are flying in for Queensland’s last long weekend before the borders open to the rest of Australia, with the Sunshine Coast already 80 per cent booked out.

Data from STR Global showed occupancy is already at 80.3 per cent in the Sunshine Coast, 54.3 per cent on the Gold Coast and 43.3 per cent in Brisbane.

They have already eclipsed the occupancy rates achieved over the past three weekends.

By the time the weekend arrives, numbers are expected to be close to the Queens Birthday and NRL Grand Final long weekend, which saw the Sunshine Coast at 84.8 per cent.

Tourism businesses are stoked for the Ekka long weekend with hopes the weather holds out. Katelyn Howe, Lilly Dittman, Jayde Chandler and Paige Benstead enjoy the kayaks and SUPs from Bill’s Boat Hire at Golden Beach. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

The CEO of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council Daniel Gschwind said it was a great opportunity for tourism operators before the border opens.

“We’re all a bit traumatised by the last 18 months I think so I think we need to give ourselves a break and people are instinctively grabbing that opportunity,” he said.

“The long weekend is just what we need, apart from the vaccine, and a lot of people are taking advantage of it."

There are hundreds of deals through Queensland Tourism in the southeast alone, with many offering 50 per cent off and some still available to be claimed this weekend.

“The anecdotal reports that we are getting is that the bookings are showing good, strong signs on the two coasts and inland as well, people are booking and willing to give it a go,” Mr Gschwind said.

“One of the few silver linings of Covid-19 is that Queenslanders have been kind of trapped and made the most of exploring parts of Queensland they have never seen or not seen for a long time.”

The owner and operator of Bill’s Boat Hire Kerrie Chandler said she has already booked out all her barbecue boats for November, which for them is “unheard of.”

“The Queens Birthday long weekend was the best we have seen since Covid, if we had another 20 boats we would have hired them all out,” she said.

“This weekend is looking like two cracking days, but I don’t think people have realised the holiday is on Friday as we’ve still got a tonne of availability on the Friday,” she said.

Ms Chandler said it’s a great chance to get out across the state before the summer rush.

“If I am a Queenslander I would get my booking in now because when the southerners come they will come in droves … if you’ve got your wits about you, you’ll be booking in advance.”

Temperatures will get up to 32C in the southeast with a shower or two predicted over the long weekend.