Tourism operators upset state overlooked Darling Downs for Holiday Dollars

The latest tourism industry stimulus package pays Queenslanders to take a holiday. It worked up north and has now been brought to Brisbane … but the Darling Downs missed out.

Sunrise over the Lockyer Valley and Table Top Mountain, from Picnic Point.

A STATE Government program that hands out $100 vouchers for tours and holiday experiences at Whitsundays and Brisbane was greeted with envy by Darling Downs operators who have reported “patchy” bookings as winter takes hold.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the 30,000 Holiday Dollars vouchers would help replace income after COVID-19 restrictions shut Queensland off from international travellers.

“We’ve seen how successful this program has been in Cairns – supporting local businesses and local jobs at a time the industry needs it most,” she said.

The State Government rolled out the program to areas that suffered the greatest decline in overseas visitors.

Brisbane has lost about $3 billion annually, while Toowoomba is down about $92 million.

Peter Homan, Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO Peter Homan said there was no chance the program would come to the Darling Downs as international travel only made up about five per cent of the region’s pre-COVID tourism revenue.

“If you take Toowoomba City out of the equation, the rest of the region is performing really well in terms of tourism,” he said.

“We have had record numbers and we expect that to continue.”

Mr Homan said Darling Downs accommodation providers are sitting at about 85 per cent occupancy, thanks to the drive market.

Rather than fork out money for tours, Mr Homan is lobbying the state for a greater slice of the Growing Tourism Infrastructure Fund, to build more accommodation and resources for the drive market.

“We can’t grow tourism when it is running at 85-90 per cent occupancy,” he said.

But this rosy outlook was not shared by all.

Gerald Searle, Crows Nest Tourist Park owner.

Crows Nest Caravan Park owner Gerald Searle was left wondering why the Holiday Dollars program was not extended to his end of the Brisbane Valley.

“We have pockets of good occupancy, but across the board it is not consistent,” he said.

Mr Searle said Crows Nest businesses were clamouring to host tours and anything the state could do to help would be welcomed.

“There is overwhelming support for tour packages,” he said.

“It is something our quests are asking for.”

Toowoomba Siteseeing owner Lindsay Booth said his trade ground to a halt in 2020 and was yet to recover.

“There are two parts to the market,” he said.

“There are the Grey Nomads who are not spending any money but that has more to do with the interest rates, and the day visitors from Brisbane, but they are patchy.

“I know the accommodation providers are finding it very patchy.”

Mr Booth said it was a shame Toowoomba missed out on the vouchers.

“I think it would encourage more people from the coast to make the journey.”

Minister for Tourism Industry Development and Innovation and Minister for Sport Stirling Hinchliffe

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said driver tourism was booming in Southern Queensland and therefore the region did not need the Holiday Dollars.

“Southern Queensland Country, including Toowoomba, is experiencing a record number of intra and interstate visitors off the back of the Palaszczuk Government’s Good to Go TV, radio, print and social media campaign,” he said.

“Intrastate visitation to Southern Queensland Country grew by 3.9 per cent in the December 2020 quarter.

“The Holiday Dollars program is carefully targeted to support Queensland destinations hardest hit by the ongoing closure of the international border.

“The $3 billion international visitors contributed to the Brisbane economy evaporated overnight when the international border was shut to keep Australians safe from the pandemic.

“By comparison, overseas visitors to Southern Queensland Country in 2019 spent $92 million while domestic visitors to the region delivered almost nine times more, or $810.2 million to the regional economy.

“The Palaszczuk Government continues to work with Regional Tourism Organisations on the tourist marketing strategies that work best for them.”