Grave fears Chinese tourists may not return to Gold Coast until October

There are grave fears Chinese tourists won’t return to the Gold Coast until October - but the city’s tourism operators are dogged in their determination not to let the virus crisis break them.

THERE are grave fears Chinese tourists won’t return to the Gold Coast until October, but the city’s tourism operators are dogged in their determination not to let the virus crisis break them.

Aquaduck co-owner Sarah Colgate, who spent last year travelling to China and invested heavily in the market, said she’d been told the Gold Coast would be “very lucky to have (Chinese) visitors before October”.

“But we’ll be OK, because like most tourism operators across the city domestic travellers are our number one market,” she said.

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A lack of Chinese tourists has slowed down the operations of the Gold Coast's iconic Aquaduck. Supplied.

Ms Colgate said in order to ride out the slump in trade the business was reining in costs, cutting staff hours and looking at how it could work with other industries such as school excursions, conferences and events.

“We’re very grateful to have the support of Destination Gold Coast who are working hard to keep us updated and are fighting for the city’s lucrative tourism industry.”

Get Wet Surf owner Kerri Jekyll said she was fiercely determined not to let the coronavirus break her 10-year-old business.

Twice last year she travelled to China and Taiwan to sign up new agents.

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Get Wet Surf School instructor Jack Howlin helps international student Chen Zhang with his surfing skills at The Spit. Picture Glenn Hampson

“Usually in February we’re having to turn customers away because we’re so busy, but this year it was like the tap had just been turned off,” she said.

“But we are resilient and we’ll ride it out. Yes, it’s going to be quiet and this winter is going to be hard for operators on the Gold Coast, but in some ways this event is teaching us not to be complacent,” she said.

“Maybe this is the little shove some business owners need to be a little more innovative and look at diversifying.”

Yesterday, the State Government revealed a $27.25 million coronavirus aid package, the Gold Coast City Council gave city’s tourism body a $1 million cash boost and Destination Gold Coast allocated itself $500,000 from its internal coffers.

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Tourists wearing masks at Gold Coast Airport as the Coronavirus epidemic causes havoc with peoples travel plans. . Picture Glenn Hampson

Tony Johnson, owner of Paradise Jet Boating, said he was buoyed by the State Government’s plan to spend $7 million on international marketing, especially if it targeted key areas such as India, Japan, South Korea, US, New Zealand and Indonesia.

However, he would like to see the State Government give financial help to regional councils such as the Gold Coast where the Queensland Government didn’t own marina assets like it did in Cairns.

“Then perhaps some rebates or relaxation of fees for locally-owned marinas and boat ramps might be able to be passed on to tourism operators such as ourselves.”

Paradise Jet Boating owner Tony Johnson said the coronavirus wouldn’t have any long-term impacts on his business. Supplied.

Hideaway Kitchen and Bar co-owner Simone Tunbridge said the Broadbeach eatery had a solid locals based and was in fact having a better than average February.

Social Eating House and Bar manager David Taylor said the restaurant in The Oracle Boulevard was quiet immediately after the coronavirus outbreak on the Gold Coast but was now back to normal.

“We’ve been here for the past seven years and have a great local following. But I’ve been speaking to hoteliers and they’re the ones feeling the pinch.”