Study Gold Coast chief executive Shannon Willoughby says bad Wi-Fi a major foreign student “turn-off”

THE Gold Coast’s slow, patchy Wi-Fi isn’t just damaging our visitor reputation — it’s a “turn off” for lucrative international students.

Study Gold Coast CEO Shannon Willoughby.

THE Gold Coast’s slow, patchy Wi-Fi isn’t just damaging our visitor reputation — it’s a “turn off” for lucrative international students.

Study Gold Coast chief executive officer Shannon Willoughby said fast, free Wi-Fi across city visitor hubs and transport corridors would bring the Coast into line with bigger cities where it was available in busy public areas.

“Bad Wi-Fi is an even bigger turn off for our 20,000 international students who rely on technology not only to study but to keep in contact with their loved ones back home,” Ms Willoughby said.

“Anecdotally there are a lot of comments from international students about the slowness of our Wi-Fi, particularly when you are talking countries like China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and much of Europe.”

Her comments come after Gold Coast Tourism chief executive officer Martin Winter said he was lobbying for the city council to extend free Wi-Fi across the city’s visitor hubs ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

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