Gold Coast COVID: What are the latest restrictions with borders?

Police will ramp up border patrols in the lead up to the historic State of Origin match on the Gold Coast in a bid to stamp out one big problem. FULL DETAILS >>>

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POLICE will ramp up border patrols in the lead up to the historic State of Origin match on the Gold Coast to “discourage” people from NSW hotspots who plan on entering the state.

 

 

Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman Issued a blunt warning telling NSW hotspot travellers ahead of Wednesday’s likely sellout at CBUS Stadium: “don’t even try”.

“We are mindful of the fact this (State of Origin) may be an incentive for people to try to run the gauntlet around our border operations and as such we’re just highlighting that we will be increasing those operations over the coming days with static and mobile intercepts,” he said.

“We are doing that particularly to try and discourage any Sydneysiders or anyone from New South Wales who has been a hotspot, that may wish to try and enter to Queensland and try to attend this event.

Don’t even try. It’s just not worth it.”

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He said there was “very good compliance” on the border currently.

Supt Wildman said 70 additional police will be on the ground on Wednesday night swarming transport hubs, around the stadium, and in the party precincts.

He said a wanding operation would be conducted in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

Supt Wildman reminded fans to carry a mask, which is required under the health guidelines.

He said border checkpoints could be established within 24 hours if required.

Coast tourism takes $110m hit after latest closure - June 24

GOLD Coast tourism leaders are desperately urging locals to holiday at home over the school break to help fill a $110m black hole left by Covid-hit Sydney tourists.

NSW’s Covid-19 outbreak has locked the southern capital out of Queensland right as the winter school holidays begin, delivering a devastating blow to the tourism industry.

It is the second such blow in six months, coming after the Christmas outbreak in eastern Sydney cost the Coast $215m in lost revenue.

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Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young on Thursday warned the Sydney situation “could rapidly escalate” and “strongly recommended” Queenslanders avoid any travel to NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled.

NSW Health on Thursday announced 11 new Covid cases, along with another positive case in Victoria linked to the Sydney outbreak. Seven local government areas – Sydney, Woollahra, Randwick, Waverley, Inner West, Bayside and Canada Bay – have been deemed “red zones”.

It means anyone from Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour are prevented from entering Queensland.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young warned the Sydney situation “could rapidly escalate” and “strongly recommended” anyone in Queensland to avoid any travel to NSW, saying they could expose themselves to the virus.

Destination Gold Coast chief executive Patricia O’Callaghan said the latest loss of Sydney tourists was “heartbreaking news” for the industry.

“Obviously, the Sydney hot spots are having an impact on the industry, especially in the lead-up to the critical school holidays period,” she said.

“However, we are seeing a great take-up from Victoria now that we can welcome them back. They are booking in thick and hard, but these are still uncertain times.

“We are making the most of the areas which are open to us.”

Destination Gold Coast chief executive Patricia O’Callaghan said the latest loss of Sydney tourists was “heartbreaking news” for the industry. Picture: Regina King.

Pre-Covid, Sydney tourists were worth more than $110m during the July-September quarter.

Gold Coast hotels had been on track for 70 per cent occupancy during the two-week school holidays, which start this weekend, before Greater Sydney was declared a Covid hotspot.

Ms O’Callaghan urged Gold Coasters to support local tourism and hospitality businesses which will do it tough after a raft of cancellations.

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“Our industry had very much been waiting for these holidays and were very much reliant upon them,” she said.

“Cancellations are coming through but we have the Holiday Dollars program and a lot of Queenslanders are looking at their options instead of holidaying down south, so the Gold Coast is a good option.

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“We have plenty of stock available and so many experiences, be it the beaches or great dining.

“Please choose the Gold Coast for your holiday, our industry does need it right now.”

Mayor Tom Tate called on “every Gold Coaster to buy local, play local and spend local”.

Queenslanders and Victorians were swooping in and snapping up any Gold Coast vacancies left by NSW residents cancelling or postponing their holiday, according to an Accor spokeswoman.

“There are some great deals to be had for those hoping for a winter break,” she said.

Gold Coast Airport boss Chris Mills said a recovery in Melbourne traffic was keeping officials positive in the wake of “challenging” restrictions on Sydney travellers.

Gold Coast Airport CEO Chris Mills. Picture: Scott Powick.

“As Melbourne opens up again there are 20 return flights between Melbourne and the Gold Coast,” he said.

“And those flights are almost full. We would love to have a great run of the school holidays with all the markets open, the environment we’re in at the moment means that’s challenging.

“The sooner the vaccine rollout can occur the sooner this can end and the better it is for all of us.”

Cr Tate also urged health authorities “on both sides of the border’’ to consider a Tweed bubble if hard border measures were introduced.

“I’d strongly encourage that as people live and work on both sides of either border,’’ he said. “Let’s not punish them for the Sydney Covid issues.’’

'Haemorrhaging': Scary reality of COVID on Coast business

April 1, 2021

THE latest tourism data shows the industry on the Gold Coast haemorrhaged more than five million visitors and a staggering $3 billion last year – and the hits keep on coming.

Destination Gold Coast revealed the new data as the city’s tourism body, operators and small businesses braced for a possible extension or expansion of the Greater Brisbane lockdown.

However Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the lockdown would end at midday on Thursday.

The tourism figures represent a loss of about two million domestic overnight visitors and a $1.8 billion spend by the same group.

Destination Gold Coast said in a statement when daytrips and international visitors were included “these total figures combined show a loss of 5.5 million visitors and $3.2 billion of visitor expenditure in the Gold Coast over the 12 months to December 2020, when compared to 2019”.

In the 12 months to December 2020, the Coast welcomed 8.7 million visitors (down 38.7 percent), there was a total spend of $2.7 billion (down 54.2 per cent) and visitors stayed 10 million nights (down 62.1 per cent), it was stated.

It was revealed late last week more than 3.5 million Australians – one in seven – were expected to flock to Queensland for Easter holidays.

The painful reality facing many Coast businesses.

Expedia Group said Queensland had accounted for almost half of all searches on the travel platform and was the most popular state in the country for Easter holiday-makers.

Destination Gold Coast said on Wednesday operators were reporting anecdotally “Easter was looking solid” and bookings pre-lockdown were “sitting at approximately 80 to 90 per cent”.

Bookings were “largely holding firm”, despite pandemic and lockdown-driven uncertainty.

It was revealed by Regional Tourism Accounts in December 2019 – before the global COVID-19 pandemic hit home in March – about 42,000 people in the city were employed in the industry.

It’s likely the number of people employed has nosedived and the end of the JobKeeper subsidy on Sunday will presumably see even fewer people in a job.

Urbis strategist James Tuma told the Reimagine Gold Coast jobs, skills and industry forum in August 2020 that the Coast must innovate, educate and diversify to forge a path forward in tough times.

A common theme at the forum was the city’s over-reliance on tourism for economic prosperity.

Luke Mortimer