Ann Wason Moore: Gold Coast tourism boss Patricia O’Callaghan says city needs to build legacy
The tourism industry has seen anything but sunny skies in this Covid climate, yet there is hope on the horizon - at least, that’s what tourism boss Patricia O’Callaghan believes.
Gold Coast
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TUCKED in a cozy corner of a Broadbeach cafe, the winter wind howls as Patricia O’Callaghan peers through the rain-blurred window … knowing that somewhere just beyond lies that famous million-dollar beach view.
It’s something of a metaphor to the 140 days she’s served as CEO of Destination Gold Coast (DGC) … the tourism industry has seen anything but sunny skies in this Covid climate, yet there is hope on the horizon.
And Patricia certainly believes everything happens for a reason. Even if, sometimes, we have to create that reason ourselves.
It’s a conviction this 37-year-old mother has held throughout her life, and one she plans to practice yet again as she aims to lead the city’s tourism industry from a metaphorical – and perhaps one day literal – winter of discontent to a glorious summer.
“The last 12 months have been extremely challenging for tourism and the next 12-18 months will continue to be difficult, especially as we have been told that essentially there will be no international tourism – other than New Zealand – until mid-2022,” she says.
“But we have to turn this pain into a legacy. We have to seize this moment and the help we are being offered to build lasting change for the city. If everything happens for a reason, we’re creating that reason through our Covid legacies.
“We’re at a moment where we’re seeing all levels of government work together to support us, and we need to take that opportunity and run with it – otherwise someone or somewhere else will.
“When we come out of this we want to be stronger than ever, and that means building on projects from experiences to infrastructure.
“Supporting the City of Gold Coast in looking at a legacy of the Springbrook cableway, beach clubs and Olympic infrastructure like light rail and the athletes village.
“We want something to show for the pain we have been through, something that will bring more people here and connect us like never before.”
However, Patricia knows those measures won’t necessarily be greeted positively by all of the Gold Coast community.
She says she has already been on the receiving end of criticism over her support for light rail and the cableway, but that’s just part of the job.
“I’ve always been in roles where you have to take a position and people will agree with you or not. I’ve copped a fair bit of brutality but I’ve grown a thick skin.
“I just want people to know that I’m listening and I understand that change is hard. It’s just so important that we don’t take our eyes off the future of the Gold Coast.
“I’ve seen first-hand what infrastructure can do for a city. When Townsville Stadium was proposed, it was not at all well supported and it meant a huge change for the city.
“But look at it now. Not only did it just host the State of Origin but it has brought so much investment to the city off the back of it. It was the right decision at the right time. Sometimes you have to take an unpopular position for the greater good and that’s exactly what that was.”
Patricia says while the city has been well supported by domestic tourism, it’s not enough in the long term.
She says continued rollout of Covid vaccines is essential, along with targets and timelines to boost confidence among tourism operators.
Meanwhile, she says incentives like Holiday Dollars and subsidised flights have created a huge boost for the city, but we need to continue to focus on driving future growth.
“These programs have been fantastic, our city is the No.1 of the top-searched destination for holidays and our Holiday Dollars program was over-subscribed, which is fantastic.
“But it’s not enough to stop at that. Right now we have something of a weekend economy, we are filling up Friday to Sunday, but it’s slow Monday to Thursday. Our corporate tourism – conferences and events – are only just starting again.
“We need to find more reasons and more experiences to bring tourists back again and again, and to encourage locals to keep heading out.
“Connecting the city through light rail, creating new attractions like the cableway and dive sites and beach clubs, all are investments that will see constant, continuous returns. I commend the council for driving these projects and I hope DGC can play a key supporting role in converting some of these visions into reality to add a new layer of visitor experiences.”
Despite criticism from some corners of the Coast’s tourism industry that this week’s state budget lacked new funding to boost visitation to the city, Patricia says it’s important to take a holistic view of government investment.
She says budget boosts for infrastructure, film and television production and aviation all contribute to the growth of tourism.
“I think it was a measured budget,” she says.
“Infrastructure and experience development will be critically important in strengthening our economy and we welcome the $4.3m investment to support the delivery of the Gold Coast dive attraction, which will be Australia’s first floating dive site, and $275,000 to promote and develop cultural ecotourism offerings in the Gondwana Rainforests in partnership with First Nations peoples.
“Infrastructure was also a key focus of the budget and the $1.3bn for Gold Coast infrastructure, including light rail, is much needed to stimulate jobs and confidence as we continue to navigate our way through Covid.
“Access into southeast Queensland will also be important in attracting visitors, especially international visitors as markets reopen to the Gold Coast and the government’s $10 million commitment over two years for aviation route support will play an important role. In addition, $71m has been committed to growing film and television in the region, which has significant flow-on to the tourism industry.
“The southeast Queensland Olympics bid formed an important part of the narrative of the budget and we know the Gold Coast is perfectly placed to play a key role in these Games.”
Seizing every opportunity is part of Patricia’s personality.
The daughter of an immigrant, born just one year after her mother arrived from the Philippines, Patricia grew up understanding the value of hard work.
“I had a humble upbringing, growing up in Mount Isa. We lived in housing commission and I would help Mum whenever I could with cleaning jobs.
“I was never ashamed of that, I was proud of our work ethic.
“When I finished high school, I was accepted to university but I had to take a year off just to save money so I could pay for my living expenses in Brisbane.
“I worked as a checkout chick at Food for Less and took out a student loan and I was off. Even though Mum and Dad didn’t have much, they would send me care packages all the time.
“When I graduated I was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society, which is for the top 15 per cent of students worldwide … but I also fell pregnant not long after “so I had to head back to Mount Isa to be with my family. My son is now almost 16. I was 21 at the time, so that was challenging but I have a very supportive husband in Jeremy and our family and I wouldn’t change a thing.
“I was still ambitious, I still wanted to get started with my career but it was great that I was starting as I meant to go on – as a mother. It probably helped that I was in my early 20s and was full of energy. Sleep was always just a luxury.”
Working first as an account manager at a radio station, Patricia was soon tapped to join the Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce, eventually moving to Townsville as general manager for Tourism and Events at Townsville Enterprise, before becoming CEO.
Then came yet another storm on the horizon … this one absolutely literal.
“I came to Townsville soon after Cyclone Yasi hit, then we had a drought and then a one-in-500-year monsoon … and we lost our house in that.
“We were told to evacuate and we managed to save our most precious items, but it was incredibly heartbreaking to walk through your house when it’s been destroyed.
“But we were just one of many, we were no different to so many other families affected. But it gave me such a huge insight into my professional role as part of the Mayor’s Disaster Management Group, and I think you always have to stay in touch with that personal side to be the most effective in your job.”
Patricia and Jeremy managed to rebuild their home – only to move again … to the Gold Coast.
And this time, she doesn’t plan on leaving.
“We all love it here,” she says.
“I was so worried about my son, 15 is not an easy age to move but he is loving it.
“We have all been so accepted and welcomed, and as much as I’m enjoying being a tourist in my own town – I’m also starting to feel like a local. My chairman always tells me it’s a marathon not a sprint, so he and the board have been very supportive.
“I love the Mayor’s attitude of just have a crack. I think that’s the true spirit of the Gold Coast.
“It’s a city of entrepreneurs and optimism, and that’s infectious.”
And just like that, the clouds over Broadbeach begin to clear.
As Patricia gazes out to the surf now visibly rolling in, there’s no doubt she sees something special on the horizon.
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