When international tourists will return to the Gold Coast in pre-COVID numbers
The Gold Coast City Council has been told how long it’ll take for the international tourism market to return. Here’s when it will be back.
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THE international tourism market will not return on the Gold Coast to pre-COVID levels for at least three years, council has been told.
In a memo to the Mayor Tom Tate, council CEO Dale Dickson and councillors, economy director Alisha Swain outlined the future and urged that “new partnerships must now be re-negotiated”.
An update by Destination Gold Coast (DGC) chairman Paul Donovan late last year showed aviation accessibility was improving with the Coast welcoming 40 flights a day compared to 60 during pre-COVID.
“According to the latest data and best-case scenario from International Air Transport Association, global passenger traffic will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024 and recovery in the short-haul travel is still expected to happen faster than long-haul travel,” Ms Swain said.
The DGC funding agreement for 2016-21 had listed “aviation capacity” as a priority action area, she added.
Councillors later approved $300,000 in potential funding for Jetstar’s new direct service between Hobart and the Coast.
Tourism leaders have described the impact of COVID as “catastrophic” and “devastating” with the state’s $7 billion international tourism industry non-existent.
The Gold Coast Reputation Strategy 2031 delivered to councillors this month also confirmed a focus on the domestic market.
A key strategic outcome was a plan to spend $2.4 million on improving “dated and inaccurate national perceptions”.
“In the first four years we will focus on building domestic reputation,” the report says.
It was recommended increasing the spend in 2025-2026, with international marketing requiring at least $1.5 million to “dial up activity in international markets”.
Mayor Tate remains confident, given the Coast is Australia’s number one domestic tourism destination and council will target every other major city for business.
“We are working hard with Trish (O’Callaghan, DGC CEO) and Gold Coast Airports to activate domestic flights from across Australia. So much depends on open borders, and certainty, so far as COVID-19 is concerned,” he said.
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