Gold Coast Tourism boss Martin Winter reflects on highs and lows after 10 years in the job

THE outgoing Gold Coast Tourism boss has revealed the four biggest challenges facing the city as he prepares to vacate the role after 10 years.

OUTGOING tourism boss Martin Winter says the Gold Coast has a bright future ahead but has four challenges it must confront.

Heading the list of priorities is a strategy for solving M1 congestion.

Mr Winter says solving traffic on the Pacific Motorway would deliver a major boost for the city.

Gold Coast Tourism chief executive Martin Winter

“The M1 is the gorilla in the room and my fear is that unless there are plans made in the near future to relieve the pressure, within a decade this will become a major disincentive for people in the drive market to come to the Gold Coast,” he said yesterday.

WHO WILL LEAD GOLD COAST TOURISM?

“This accounts for 7.5 million people annually and a city like the Gold Coast cannot do without them.”

Mr Winter, 65, will stand down as the chief executive of Gold Coast Tourism following the Commonwealth Games after 10 action-packed years in the role.

Flashback: Gold Coast Tourism CEO, Martin Winter with SpongeBob SquarePants and Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor at Dreamworld.

Hired in June 2008, Mr Winter walked into a baptism of fire when the city was plunged into the depths of the global financial crisis, which hit tourism hard.

But a decade later, tourism has bounced back, with the sector now worth $5 billion to the Gold Coast on the back of a 14.7 per cent growth in visitor numbers over the past year.

Mr Winter said the Gold Coast had changed dramatically during his time in the role and had four major challenges it needed to face to continue its success:

Martin Winter in 2008 when he was first hired.

•The impact of the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy;

•A decline in the length of stay of visitors to the city;

•The need for new attractions;

•Fixing the M1.

“Our role is to generate demand which I believe we have done very well, but the problem now is that people are staying for a shorter period of time and therefore the amount of money they are spending in this destination is less,” he said.

Martin Winter getting ready for the Gold Coast marathon.

“This is something being tackled at the moment with research and hopefully we will have an answer to what will happen in the future.

“There is the need for new investment in attractions — our theme parks have done a great job over the past few years but apart from them and accommodation, there has been little serious money being invested in reasons for people to stay longer on the Gold Coast.”

Mr Winter said he had begun to consider his future in 2016 and decided more than a year ago to retire following the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Martin Winter in 2002 before he came to the Gold Coast.

He said the time was right to hand over the role, something which is expected to occur later this year.

Mr Winter said he would not seek another full-time job and had not yet decided what he would do.

The experienced tourism figure said strong visitor figures earlier this year and the industry’s growth were proud achievements, not just for himself but the entire Gold Coast Tourism staff.

“The post-Commonwealth Games period is going to be a watershed moment for the Gold Coast just as the financial crisis was 10 years ago. That’s why I felt it was the perfect time to transition to new leadership,” he said.

Martin is looking forward to life after the Games.

“January’s accommodation figures showed for the first time ever we had the highest revenue per available room in the country and exceeded Sydney for that month while the average price per room exceeded $200, another first.

“The most important thing which we have achieved was ensuring the marketing position of the Gold Coast evolved in step with this maturing city.

“The last 10 years have been an absolute pleasure and it has been a privilege to work with such passionate civic leaders.”