Queensland’s tourism and hospitality industry ready to get back to work

Queensland is opening back up for business, and the hospitality and tourism industries are breathing a sigh of relief.

Queensland is opening back up for business, and the hospitality and tourism industries are breathing a sigh of relief.

State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s announcement yesterday, that Queensland’s borders would reopen from Friday, July 10 for all states and territories with the exception of Victoria, has set businesses big and small at ease.

Today the Premier and Minister for Education Grace Grace welcomed the reopening of Hellenika restaurant at the Calile Hotel, where more than 100 staff were back at work.

“This is exactly what we want to see, businesses reopening and Queenslanders coming out to support local businesses,” the Premier said.

“It’s great for the economy and great for jobs.”

Hellenika owner Simon Gloftis said he was pleased to hear about the easing of restrictions.

“To see the smiles on my staff’s faces as they walked back into work today – it’s immeasurable what it has done for our team,” Mr Gloftis said.

“We’ve got a lot of reservations coming in, and we can’t wait to get back to what we really love doing.”

The Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort has experienced a serious spike in bookings. Picture: BIG4

Queensland’s tourism industry has already started to pick up in the wake of the latest restriction advice.

Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort marketing manager Tanya Cran said the holiday park was flooded with bookings yesterday following the Premier’s announcement.

“The phones have been going mad since yesterday afternoon and haven’t really stopped,” she said.

“The region really needed this news, the town has been very quiet since borders were closed.”

Ms Cran said yesterday’s bookings were up a whopping 324 per cent from the previous year on the same day, and they had experienced a 40 per cent spike from just a day before.

“It will be amazing to have some bookings to take us through the winter,” she said.