Mackay and Whitsundays record lower numbers of domestic visitors in 2023
Mackay and Whitsundays have recorded lower numbers of domestic visitors throughout the year, but industry leaders say the airports are in expansion mode and new projects are on the cards.
Mackay
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Between the addition of new flight routes in the Whitsundays to the long-awaited release of the Pioneer Valley Outdoor Tourism Hub and the hunt to become a cruise destination in the Mackay region, here is a snapshot of what you should look out for in 2024.
Mackay
The Mackay region has seen a 15 per cent decrease in domestic travellers over the past year from 1.3 million to 1.1 million visitors but the region is hopeful it will keep attracting new visitors with the opening of the mountain bike trail project and an Outdoor Tourism Hub in the Pioneer Valley for adrenaline seekers. Mackay Isaac Tourism CEO Al Grundy said they had already planned out a whole calendar to invite specialist trail riders to the region to try out the new bike trails when complete, and promote them to a larger public.
Mr Grundy said Mackay Tourism would also employ specialists to develop a cruise strategy for the Port of Mackay.
“The cruise ship industry is growing so much, it’s not about stealing cruise ships away from Airlie,” he said adding that the industry was expanding and always on the lookout for new ports.
“Our marketing strategy is that we actually complement the Whitsundays.”
Mr Grundy said while the Whitsundays offered on-water experiences, Mackay had a whole other market to develop with marketing camping, or the coming mountain bike trails.
“It would be remiss of me not to be realistic about the economy of the moment, so we could have some headwinds in the next 12 months because of cost of living pressures and housing,” Mr Grundy said.
“For us that just means we’ve got to market harder.”
Mackay Airport head of operations Adrian Miles remains positive about the future of aviation in the region, with a record number of direct flights to Mackay brought by the launch of Bonza in 2023.
“We have never been better connected to the rest of Australia,” Mr Miles said.
“Our passenger figures continue to perform at or above pre-Covid levels.”
The Mackay Airport announced major renovations for the airport in September, which had been partly completed by the end of this year.
“Just this week, we achieved practical completion of a major new long-term carparking space, adding an additional 247 bays,” Mr Miles said adding that eight new automatic bag drop stations and 12 self-service kiosks had been added and that new retailer News@MKY had opened.
“Next year, we will continue to develop our terminal to best serve our customers and community, with upgrades scheduled for our departures lounge and the observation deck area,” he said.
Mr Miles also mentioned the new partnership that the airport recently developed with Harrup Park, which is aimed at securing more national and international sporting events in Mackay.
“There is huge potential to tap into the sports tourism market, which would enhance our regional profile, support our local operators and bolster the overall economy,” he said.
Whitsundays
Visitors to the Whitsundays have not reached the record levels of 2022, with a 15 per cent decrease in domestic travellers observed throughout the year from 900,000 visitors to 765,000 visitors.
However, Tourism Whitsundays CEO Rick Hamilton said the region’s numbers in domestic visitors and in expenditure were increasing over a three-year period.
Mr Hamilton said the number of international travellers had jumped about 30 per cent from last year from 68,000 up to 102,000.
“While not record-breaking this time, these results solidify the Whitsundays’ position as an unmatched holiday destination,” he said.
“We’re seeing a slight shift in length of stay as economic factors influence holiday budgets and duration.”
The calendar of events in the Whitsundays will remain nonetheless busy with some of the usual festivals and boat races coming to the town, such as the Hamilton Island Race Week, the Airlie Beach Music Festival of Music and the Great Barrier Reef Festival.
It’s on the airport side that change is to be expected with the Whitsunday Coast Airport recently announcing that two new routes would be added by June, while Whitsunday Regional Council councillors are set to discuss a new master plan for the airport that would consider opening international destinations.
Whitsunday Coast Airport CEO Craig Turner said that the council had started a draft document that would be submitted to councillors in January that would focus on getting additional bases to the airport, improving the sewage system and expanding the terminal.
“The schedule for January is between 11 and 12 flights per day,” Mr Turner said.
“It’s the aviation and the transportation hub that then feeds the economy, be it tourism, be it agriculture, be it mining.”
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