The Whitsundays – More Than A Beautiful Place

Turquoise waters, teeming reefs, green landscapes, and the whitest of white beaches. The Whitsundays is a pretty special place. The region is not just a natural wonderland, home to 74 of the world’s most stunning islands. It’s a place for adventure, escape, indulgence, and where dreams become happy memories to share as stories for years to come.

As I move across the region, it’s never lost on me how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful and diverse part of the world. Tourism is a vital driver of the local economy, and nowhere is that more pronounced than in the Whitsundays.

Last Saturday night, the region’s tour companies, accommodation operators, restaurants, and tourism businesses were showcased at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards. Congratulations to all the winners. Your success is well deserved because the field of entrants was so strong. To those who may not have secured a victory, you should still be very proud. The sum of all your efforts makes for a local tourism industry with few rivals.

Around 900,000 people, both domestic and international visited the Whitsundays last year, spending over $1.6 billion. To put things in perspective, in 2019 that spend was just under $700 million. That’s more than double in five years. Add to that the fact that we had a couple of those years interrupted by COVID, and these are truly extraordinary figures. It’s the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people, helping to position our region as a premier holiday destination. With so many amazing operators and industry groups, it’s not hard to see these figures continuing to rise.

The Whitsundays is a holiday mecca attracting visitors from all over the world. But it’s not just the international market that the region impresses. Airlie, Bowen, and surrounds are incredibly popular with Australians, too. Importantly, the industry is also well supported by locals. That’s right, locals choosing staycations and spending locally has a major impact on driving the industry to bigger and better things.

Many in the tourism industry faced difficult challenges during COVID, and with visitor numbers down over the course of a couple of years, it was locals who helped fill the void. With local support, most businesses and operators were able to battle through to be even stronger on the other side.

Every time you book a tour, stay on one of the islands, eat out, or even buy a coffee, you’re contributing to our local economy and tourism industry. I know how tough many are doing it right now with the cost of living and rising expenses. So, to everyone choosing to spend locally, thank you for continuing to support our businesses and operators. If you can’t afford to get away over Christmas, just remember there’s still plenty to enjoy right here at home. And don’t forget the region also has an array of great free activities, like going for a hike, cooling off at the lagoon, or throwing a line in.

Let’s keep showing the world what makes the Whitsundays not just a place to visit, but a place to remember.

Contributed with thanks to Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP

‍

Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP enjoying the sights of Airlie Beach while celebrating the success of the Whitsundays’ world-class tourism industry. Photo supplied

‍