Business owners report lower Easter numbers in lead up to Commonwealth Games

IT was talked up as the biggest pre-Commonwealth Games weekend for local businesses. So was the Easter weekend a boom or bust for the Gold Coast?

JUST DAYS out from one of the biggest event in Queensland’s history, a quiet Easter weekend has punctured the Commonwealth Games hype bubble for Gold Coast businesses.

Dubbed ‘the calm before the storm’ of games arrivals and NSW holiday makers, local restaurants are reporting a slow in foot traffic, while vacancies remain available over the entire games period.

Gold Coast business owners are still hoping for a boost in trade during the Commonwealth Games after a slower than expected Easter weekend.

President of the Restaurant Industry Support group Glen Day said the quiet stint was a disappointment after the promises of the what the Games would bring.

“It is very quiet, absolutely, compared to last year,” Mr Day said.

“Leading up has been horrendous, what we make in the next few weeks is only making up for what we have lost.

Gold Coast business owners are still hoping for a boost in trade during the Commonwealth Games after a slower than expected Easter weekend. Photo: Kit Wise

“I haven’t been overly confident about the impact of the Games since Christmas,” he said.

As an owner of multiple restaurants along the coast, Mr Day said a number of factors have contributed to the issue.

“Easter doesn’t fall on NSW holidays, the media on traffic, and the road closures haven’t helped,” he said.

“Day trippers from Brisbane aren’t hard to deter and Broad Beach looks like a jail, and locals haven’t been heading out for dinner,” he said.

Mr Day says he has made the decision to shut the doors of a few of his restaurants during the remainder of the Easter break.

“It is a juggling act,” he said.

“But we are looking forward to the event and hoping for some good trade.”

Mr Day wasn’t the only one who was remaining optimistic about the Games arrivals after a quieter than expected Easter.

“It has been quieter, but I hadn’t expected too many locals to come in with all the reports on the traffic,” Owner of Coastal Expressions Souvenirs Chad Ponak said.

Chad Ponak from Coastal Expressions store in Surfers Paradise.

“I am seeing it as just a delay in the Easter business rush, by Monday and Tuesday I expect Cavill Avenue will be full,” he said.

Kitty O’Shea’s bar manager April Corbett is also hoping for an uplift after Easter numbers were nothing like what was expected.

Chad Ponak from Coastal Expressions store in Surfers Paradise.

“It is busy but not crazy,” Ms Corbett said.

“We have been prepared for a really busy period, so hopefully that comes when the Games start,” she said.

With Wotif.com reporting a boost in accommodation booking interest over the games period, Gold Coast Tourism Chairman Paul Donovan says the change can be expected.

“There is a buzz around the city, it is all starting to come together, from now we will see people arriving,” he said.

Mr Donovan said a number of accommodation vendors worked hard to sell out in the lead up to the international event.

Paul Donovan in the Supercars VIP corporate box at the GC600. Picture by Scott Fletcher.

“Even at out busiest times not every one will be full, tourism is not just about filling rooms,” Mr Donovan said.

“A lot of hotels are absolutely sold out,” he said.

“10,000 beds on the Gold Coast have also opened up through Airbnb, which is something that is having an impact.

“We should all be looking forward to showcasing Gold Coast to the world,’ he said.