Village Roadshow theme parks executive hits out at Gold Coast Tourism — again

THE colourful war of words between Gold Coast Tourism and a theme parks boss is getting as colourful as a Glitter Strip ad campaign.

THE war of words between Village Roadshow theme park bigwigs and Gold Coast Tourism heavyweights continues to be as colourful as a Glitter Strip ad campaign.

In the latest salvo, Village Roadshow executive general manager theme parks Bikash Randhawa has taken another bite at what he sees as a marketing focus on the Coast cafe culture and livability, telling All That Glitters: “People don’t come here to do yoga and have acai bowls and all that trendy bulls — t. You can get that crap anywhere.

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A theme parks boss wants more focus on ... theme parks. Picture Glenn Hampson.

“If you use restaurants as the headline act and focus on culture, well we are not the food capital of Australia, we’re not the cultural capital — we are the entertainment capital.”

He was hitting back at Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan who earlier this week hit back at Mr Randhawa who ... well, you get the idea.

Village Roadshows executive general manager theme parks Bikash Randhawa: “People don’t come here to do yoga and have acai bowls and all that trendy bulls — t. You can get that crap anywhere.” Picture by Regina King Regina.

Even respected hotelier and ex-GC Central Chamber of Commerce president Peter Yared chimed in on Mr Randhawa’s Facebook, saying: “Well said Bikash, time for a shake up at GCT. Too many have been there too long and they have become complacent.”

Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan: “ ... a bit unfair.”. Photo by Richard Gosling

Last week Mr Randhawa said he didn’t believe city marketers were giving enough attention to theme parks, given Village’s $100m spend on new attractions in the past 12 months.

Mr Donovan responded, calling the spray “a bit unfair” pointing out he personally talked up the theme parks including at GC Tourism’s recent AGM.

Mr Randhawa told ATG: “It’s not about praising the importance of theme parks at the AGM ... it’s their public campaigns interstate.

Mr Randhawa said he had plenty of respect for Mr Donovan and Gold Coast Tourism was doing some brilliant and phenomenal stuff around conventions and events.

“Hopefully the marketing arm is listening to Paul and I look forward to the results for the theme parks in the next interstate campaign,” Mr Randhawa says.

Watch this space.