Weekend spike in tourism for battling operators
The Father’s Day weekend brought welcome spike in bookings in some parts of the state. But battling operators are still being hit hard by the COVID-19 border closures.
QLD News
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The Father’s Day weekend brought a business boom in tourism with surprise spikes in bookings as Queenslanders flocked to the beach, but battling operators say they’re still struggling with COVID-19 border closures.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council president Daniel Gschwind said there had been strong bookings in the lead up to Fathers’ Day.
“There are definitely indications that people are looking to get out and explore their own region a bit more, we have a strong incentive to do that because we can’t go interstate or international,” he said.
“Certainly in the southeast corner this has been a good weekend, it’s more difficult the further you go away from the major population centres, the regions that rely more heavily on international tourism.”
But he warned the industry was in a “deep hole” and every little bit helped on the long road to recovery.
For example boating and water recreation businesses experienced a booked-out frenzy around Noosa, with U Drive Boat Hire, T Boat Noosa and Pelican Boat Hire among the operators who welcomed a busy weekend.
Noosaville’s O Boat Hire owner Brad Gray said while Fathers’ Day delivered its normal rush they were surprisingly booked out the day prior as well.
“It could be because we had a pupil free day on Friday so people were travelling for the long weekend, which is good,” he said.
Roundabout Boat Hire owner Ian Horcroft said he had been booked out since Monday last week.
He said the busy weekend couldn’t come at a better time after COVID-19 prompted the cancellation of hundreds of bookings earlier this year.
Destination Gold Coast executive director of marketing Carla Anderson said Queenslanders showed their support for tourism operator on the Coast, with anecdotal reports of increased bookings, foot traffic and sales.
“Gold Coast’s tourism sector benefited from an encouraging weekend of trading with both locals and drive market visitors relishing the ability to get out and about across the city from our beaches to the hinterland,” she said.
Sea World Cruises general manager Anthony Ardern said with a pupil free day on Friday it had been “unusually busy” with double the bookings that day, and 40 for Sunday.
“This Father’s day was a big surprise, we actually ended up doing double lunch cruises, and an impromptu afternoon cruise, which we haven’t operated before that went out at capacity, we had nine whale watching tours today,” he said.
Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones the government was working hard to capitalise on domestic markets where it was safe to travel after what has been a tough year for tourism operators.
“We’ve absolutely blitzed South Australia and ramped up marketing in Queensland to encourage people to explore the Sunshine State,” Ms Jones said.
However, Far North Queensland operators suffered through another quiet period with international and interstate travel bans savaging tourist numbers.
Cairns Tourism president Kevin Byrne said while there might have been a slight uptick for some businesses, the situation in Cairns was diabolic for tourism operators.
“It’s not about to get better anytime soon with interminable squabbling among Premiers and the Commonwealth government on borders,” he said.
Sailaway owner operator Steve Edmondson said there hadn’t been increased bookings for Great Barrier Reef tours.
“Normally we’d be on four trips a day, and it’s just getting worse.
“Even last week we had cancellations for October because there’s no way people can get here or because their flights were cancelled.
“Fifty per cent [of the market] is international which obviously can’t come, so the remainder would be from interstate travel, so Queensland tourism can’t support itself on Queenslanders only.
“A NSW-Queensland would be appropriate and that would keep business on a lifeline for trade as it did for July.”
However Thala Beach Nature Reserve spokesperson Seton Prettejohn said they had a boost of business for Fathers Day with locals supporting the operator.
“We’ve had visitors from South East Queensland this weekend but not a big influx … this is normally our peak season, and generally we have a large proportion of NSW and Victorian visitors, so obviously it’s taken a big hit.”
Brisbane father Tony Rehal said his family were among the Queenslanders who celebrated the Sunshine State over the weekend, making it the “best Fathers Day ever.”
“I think it’s been a tough time for business up here so you want to make sure they survive by supporting them and really make the most of what Queensland has to offer,” he said.