Gold Coast business: City leaders map out growth opportunities for Glitter Strip at Future Gold Coast Business Leaders roundtable

Collaboration between businesses is one of the “missing links” needed to ensure the Gold Coast capitalises on its rich and varied offering.

At yesterday’s Future Gold Coast Business Leaders Roundtable (clockwise from front left): Ron Calvert, Matt Schneider, Rachel Hancock, Clark Kirby, Andrew Bell, Annaliese Battista, Paul Donovan, Mayor Tom Tate, Criena Gehrke, Hayden Reed, Geoff Hogg, Alister Thomson, Chris Mills, Tony Cochrane, James Gilmour, Dean Gould, Rebecca Frizelle, Steve Cavalier and Clare Starling.

COLLABORATION between businesses is one of the “missing links” needed to ensure the Gold Coast capitalises on its rich and varied offering.

That was one of the key messages delivered by 16 of the city’s movers and shakers at the Future Gold Coast Business Leaders Roundtable yesterday hosted by the Gold Coast Bulletin.

The Future Gold Coast campaign kicks off next month and aims to create a new vision to drive the expansion of tourism, education, healthcare and infrastructure, attract and retain local talent, foster community pride through sport and engage the community in the arts.

Geoff Hogg, managing director of The Star’s Queensland operations, said he sees collaboration as essential along with infrastructure improvement, jobs growth and adding to the event calendar.

Star Qld managing director Geoff Hogg wants to see more collaboration between operators on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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“For us to extend visitor nights.... we need more partners working with us,” he said.

“We have started looking at getting Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to have a site on our property so clients who can’t go out for the day can have an experience onsite.”

Mr Hogg said businesses have not worked well together in the past.

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“We have a role to play in promoting other people’s offerings. We don’t do that very well. We promote our own offering and not the place next door. We have to get over that.”

Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan agreed.

Mr Donovan said city leaders need to value action over talk.

CEO of Destination Gold Coast, Annaliese Battista, says the Gold Coast Hinterland isn’t being marketed effectively overseas. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“We need to look at what has been written about and get traction because otherwise we will be sitting around in five or 10 years still talking about the same things,” he said.

Mr Donovan called collaboration one of the “missing links” for the city.

“We all need to get together and get traction on the basis of collaboration.”

Gold Coast Titans co-owner and Frizelle Automotive Prestige COO Rebecca Frizelle said the Gold Coast should emulate the ‘second city’ strategy that has been implemented overseas in Europe and the US.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says improving infrastructure related to tourism remains a top priority. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“We need to celebrate the fact we are the second city (in Queensland), which means we offer a more affordable lifestyle, improved traffic, there are so many things,” she said.

“Look at Geelong and Melbourne. We should be doing the same thing. We have battled against being the second city but I think we should embrace it.”

A common theme running through the discussion was the importance of the Hinterland to the Gold Coast tourism sector.

Annaliese Battista, who recently celebrated one year in the CEO role at Destination Gold Coast, said the Hinterland is “barely known about internationally”.

Rebecca Frizelle wants to see the Gold Coast embrace a ‘second city’ strategy. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“I think we still have a lot of work to do in communicating our extraordinary offering,” she said.

“Something as unique as the Hinterland can add layers to our already-strong offering.”

Mr Donovan said Queenstown in NZ has managed to successfully capitalise on the enormous number of walking tracks around the tourist hub. He said the Gold Coast can do the same.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said improving infrastructure relating to tourism has to be a top priority.

“We want our cruise ship terminal, we want our light rail all the way to the Gold Coast Airport. The minute 3A (light rail to Burleigh Heads) is done I’m going to push for a review so the funding model for the next stages can be agreed upon early and doesn’t become a political football.”