New Gold Coast Superyacht Guide released by Gold Coast City Council and Waterways Authority
Superyachts have been a boon for the city economy, which has been decimated by the global coronavirus pandemic this year.
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THE Gold Coast has moved quickly to take advantage of a multimillion-dollar superyacht boom and released a comprehensive guide for skippers of the opulent vessels.
Gold Coast City Council and Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) partnered to produce the Gold Coast Superyacht Guide on the back of industry consultation.
Superyachts have been a boon for the city economy, which has been decimated this year by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Work on the luxurious floating mansions has resulted in more than $15 million being pumped into the economy since March.
GCWA CEO Hal Morris said the guide filled an “information gap” in the market.
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“We know the Gold Coast is on the radar as a preferred destination for superyachts, but we’ve found that many captains don’thave enough information about accessing our waterways and the facilities on offer once they get here,” he said.
“The industry wanted it. So we had a meeting with industry in January this year, they realised there was a gap in the information available.”
Mr Morris said every time a superyacht dropped anchor in the city it was injecting money into the economy and supporting jobs.
Mayor Tom Tate said the city’s “year-round sunshine, glorious coastline, magnificent hinterland, abundance of accommodation and entertainment” meant it was a perfect place to stop for superyachts.
The Gold Coast already boasts 125 superyacht berths and there is more on the way.
“I don’t know of any other city in Australia that can really give you that kind of critical mass,” Councillor Tate said.
“We’ve got more canals than Venice and Amsterdam combined, so let’s get them over here.”
Cr Tate was confident the city could cement itself as a superyacht hub.
“They’re lining up to come in, so the demand is there,” he said.
The guide supports the Queensland Superyacht Strategy, aimed at increasing the state’s share of the global industry by 10 per cent by 2023
Visit gcwa.qld.gov.au online to download the guide.
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