Golden Age: Tourists reveal what they really think about holidaying on the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise
TASTEFUL or tacky? Tourists from all over the world holidaying in Surfers Paradise reveal what they really think of holidaying on the Gold Coast and what keeps them coming back.
Golden Age
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TRACEY Mamelin is a seasoned Surfers Paradise tourist, having visited the precinct more than five times over the past 25 years from her native New Caledonia.
Far from the trashy image often afforded the Glitter Strip, Mrs Mamelin says that couldn’t be further from reality, saying Surfers had always had — and still does have — a family friendly vibe.
She is holidaying with her family in Surfers, including daughter Nell Mamelin, 11, and said she would not holiday anywhere else.
It seems the holidaying hotspot is certainly meeting expectations.
“I absolutely love it here,” she said.
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“The first time I came for a holiday here was in 1993 with my uncle.
“I have been a few more times since then and have returned for holidays with my husband and kids in more recent years.
“The kids love it.”
Mrs Mamelin said she had seen many changes over the past two and a half decades but said it showed the “party” precinct had more to offer than just night life.
“When I was younger and visiting, of course we would go out to the nightclubs and do all those things and that was great, and now we have children we bring our family here and there is so much to do for the kids,” she said.
“It is all very handy and practical. Everything is just all here and close by.
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“The exchange rate of the French Pacific Francs is better so it’s cheaper for us to come here and do a lot of shopping.
“We love the shopping (in Surfers Paradise).
“It is the first time we have been here in winter though and it’s really cold. I think next time we will come back in summer.”
Also enjoying their time strolling the Glitter Strip was the Chin family from Brunei.
Felicia Chin, husband Po, and children Christabell, 14, Joey Lin, 14, Cayden, 8, and Chayanne, 6, had been on the Gold Coast two days after coming up for a holiday with family from Melbourne and when interviewed, were enjoying their final day in Surfers.
The family praised the precinct for its “family friendly” vibe.
“We came here (Gold Coast) so we could go to the theme parks,” Ms Chin said.
“But today we have been walking around Surfers Paradise having a look at everything. There is so much to do here for families.
“I asked my family where I should go in Australia and they said we had to come to the Gold Coast because there are lot of things to see and do here.”
With four young children, Ms Chin said she had not had a chance to check out the famed Surfers Paradise night life but said she did not find the area’s image to be “tacky’’.
“We haven’t been out during the night time so I am not sure what that is like, but we are having a great time,” she said.
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