Take a sneak peek of new-look luxury Hayman Island
Tourism is back in the Whitsundays and we are going to see it grow further.
Whitsunday
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THE luxury island resort on Hayman Island was officially re-opened on Friday night after being damaged in Tropical Cyclone Debbie almost two-and-a-half-years ago.
InterContinental Hayman Island Resort has been revamped and is again taking on guests in its luxury accommodation, after re-opening to guests a month ago.
Rated five stars, it boasts 166 rooms as well as five new restaurants and bars.
It is one of three Whitsunday island resorts to re-open this year, joining Daydream Island Resort and Elysian Resort on Long Island.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Mulpha International executive chairman Seng-Huang Lee did the official honours, unveiling a plaque on Friday night.
Mr Lee said $135 million had been spent to re-establish Hayman Island as the flagship resort of the Whitsundays, and of tourism in Queensland.
"We've invested heavily to promote the region," he said.
Ms Palaszczuk was delighted to see InterContinental Hayman Island Resort open again, saying it would help tourism in the region.
"Tourism is back in the Whitsundays and we are going to see it grow further," she said.
"This is the jewel in the crown for the Whitsundays.
"Tourism is vital to this region.
"More than 872,000 people visited the Whitsunday region in the year ending March 2019, with expenditure growing to almost $900 million.
"This resort alone is set to inject more than $120 million in direct and indirect tourism revenue into the Whitsunday region each year."
Ms Palaszczuk said she was pleased to see places like Hayman Island back in action after the devastation of Tropical Cyclone Debbie which she saw first-hand.
"It brought a tear to my eye (to see it)," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the State Government had invested $25 million across 10 Great Barrier Reef island resorts as part of a rejuvenation fund.
On Hayman Island, this money has gone towards adopting green policies to improve water, energy and waste management.
The resort has even taken steps such as banning single-use plastic water bottles on the island, instead giving each guest a reusable bottle they can fill at filtered water stations throughout the resort.
Water is also reused and recycled on the island.
Mulpha International Group chief executive officer Greg Shaw spoke of how a resort on Hayman Island was first established in the 1950s and had been attracting visitors ever since.
"Hayman Island has created many unforgettable memories for many Australians for many years," he said.
"The new Hayman is already attracting the attention of travellers from around the world."
He spoke of how the Mulpha International Group had taken the responsibility to be the builders of the revamped resort, with 300 people employed during the construction period and more than 250 staff now that it is open.
Part of the work at the resort has included the planting of more than 30,000 shrubs and indigenous trees to replace the plants destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Debbie.
InterContinental Hotels Group Australasia and Japan managing director Leanne Harwood said the newly re-opened resort elevated luxury travel in the region.
"It is an exclusive, immersive, luxury experience," she said.
"We already have strong bookings for the coming months."
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