Tourism Minister Steve Ciobo loses confidence in Gold Coast Tourism boss Martin Winter

FEDERAL Tourism Minister Steve Ciobo says he has lost confidence in Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter after drops in visitor bed nights and spend.

Mr Winter said he was ready to discuss the issue with Mr Ciobo as soon as he was available to “work towards a collaborative solution”.

FEDERAL Tourism Minister Steve Ciobo says he has lost confidence in Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter after drops in visitor bed nights and spend.

“I have got confidence in the board of Gold Coast Tourism but I do not have confidence in the CEO,” Mr Ciobo said yesterday.

“It’s clear based on the facts that this trend is not Mr Winter’s friend.”

Gold Coast Federal MP Steve Ciobo. Picture by Scott Fletcher.

Mr Ciobo’s verbal volley comes after the pair traded verbal barbs in yesterday’s Bulletin over figures showing international visitors, bed nights and spend were up nationally in the 12 months to June – but bed nights and spend were down on the Gold Coast.

Mr Ciobo said it was “concerning” to see the Gold Coast lose market share, saying it needed to “perform better”. Mr Winter responded by calling Mr Ciobo’s comments a “cheap shot”, adding that he didn’t know where the Moncrieff MP was coming from.

Gold Coast Tourism CEO Gold Coast Tourism Martin Winter. Pic by Richard Gosling

Mr Ciobo yesterday again expressed concern about the Coast figures.

“Mr Winter seems to be in danger of shooting the messenger – the fact is tourism numbers, spend and length of stay are up in Australia but under his stewardship of Gold Coast Tourism, spend and length of stay are down,” he said.

“I’m not blaming Gold Coast tourism operators. And in no way am I having a shot at the board.”

Told Mr Ciobo had “no confidence” in him as CEO, Mr Winter said he was “surprised the Federal Minister has taken this stance given we have had strong growth in visitor numbers.”

Despite bed nights down two per cent and spend down four per cent, international visitors to the Coast are up seven per cent.

“I understand it’s a concern for everybody in the industry to have a decrease in length of stays,” Mr Winter said.

“It’s to do with the change in the way visitors are choosing their holidays and it’s pretty acute on the Coast because of the decline in the traditional longer family holiday.”

Mr Winter said he was ready to discuss the issue with Mr Ciobo as soon as he was available to “work towards a collaborative solution”.

Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan said he would prefer if the pair could work together.

Gold Coast Tourism Chairman Paul Donovan. Picture by Scott Fletcher

“There seems to be an issue that we need to resolve between the CEO and Federal Minister,” Mr Donovan said. “Tourism is our number one industry and we all need to be collaborating.”

Asked if he had confidence in Mr Winter, Mr Donovan said: “I’m not going to agree with the Minister but I don’t want to disagree with him.

“The board will have a discussion about this and look at all the issues surrounding this.

“Up until this point I have had confidence in Martin and the fact overnight stays and the spend is down is not purely Martin’s fault.

“There are reasons we are down and they are not the fault of any individual.

“We need more infrastructure on the ground – a dive wreck, cruise ship terminal, sky rail in the Hinterland, development of our scenic walks – that is what is going to get people to stay longer and spend more.”

Mr Winter has been CEO at Gold Coast Tourism for the past 10 years and his role is an appointment made by the board.

He recently oversaw the launch of a new marketing campaign focused around the city’s coffee culture, dining scene and lifestyle offering.