Gold Coast tourism bosses aggressively plan to lead city to recovery

Gold Coast tourism top brass are mapping out how to aggressively lead the city’s recovery once coronavirus travel restrictions ease – but warn it’s going to cost “a lot”.

GOLD Coast tourism top brass are mapping out how to aggressively lead the city’s recovery once coronavirus travel restrictions ease – but warn it’s going to cost “a lot”.

Ongoing high-level talks involving sector heavyweights are nearing a stage where the road map will be shared more widely to unify the entire city, an industry source revealed.

It’s understood sector leaders believe a heavy focus on pushing “drive” tourism, once allowed again, and interstate visitation will see those markets “rebound quite successfully”.

“But it’s going to cost a lot of money because of the clutter in the market place – where everyone will be competing for their share of the available business. But the Gold Coast being the Gold Coast, should do very well,” a source said.

Clark Kirby. Picture Glenn Hampson

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The private talks and recovery planning are going on in the background as the city grapples with the hit to its $6 billion-a-year tourism industry which has ground to a halt.

But bullish leaders are also talking up the bright side of the state and Australasia’s flattening of the curve so far.

The Gold Coast recorded zero new cases again yesterday, an increasingly common statistic as New Zealand eased its lockdown restrictions claiming “control” of virus transmission.

Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby, whose stable of parks include Sea World, Movie World and Wet ‘n’ Wild, said the Gold Coast was one of the best placed parts of the country to take advantage of the “recovery and bounce” when restrictions ease.

Mr Kirby said the city would be a beacon for big-city Australians wanting a getaway, Kiwis looking for trans-Tasman escapes and he anticipated offers and packages aplenty.

“I really do believe we will see demand from Melbourne and Sydney residents coming up. The international borders will be shut for longer and that creates incredible opportunities for the Gold Coast.

Mayor Tom Tate. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We are Australia’s playground and at the end of this people are going to be desperate to have some fun.”

Asked if he was excited about opportunities for a mooted trans-Tasman “travel bubble”, he said: “We are really excited by the opportunities presented by New Zealand. Our numbers dropped a little out of there because of all the cheap airfares to Bali, Fiji, hitting that market. But these type of holidays will not be on the cards for a long time. So we will see an influx from New Zealand that is really high-yielding.”

Mayor Tom Tate yesterday encouraged residents to spend locally and operators to plan how to innovate when the recovery hits.

“When businesses start opening I encourage anyone who can to consider opening their wallets and spending up at their local shops. Whether you are buying clothes, coffee or other goods, every dollar spent will help our local economy – and more importantly our neighbours and friends to get their businesses up and running again.

“As for those operators unable to trade, please start planning now on how things might look when you reopen. Think outside the box and how you are going to operate in this new environment to optimise the outcome for you and your clients. It’s a new world and it requires a new way of thinking.”

John Witheriff. Picture: Jerad Williams

The light rail’s GoldLinQ chairman John Witheriff said despite the significant economic hit, the reopening of the economy would have to be staged carefully.

“We cannot afford a second wave of coronavirus and if it reoccurs again, any strategy would collapse like a house of cards,” he said.

“We have to see a gradual opening of the hospitality sector with social distancing so people know there is a life outside the home then welcoming back the drive market and nearby surrounds.

“The biggest risk to the Coast’s economy from here is the virus itself taking off again.”