Tourism Conversation Focus On International Return, Domestic Conversion, And Hope

Tourism operators and business owners from across the Whitsundays gathered for a Conversations with Industry event hosted by the state body last week, listening to the industry’s concerns and giving them the latest figures on the region’s impact on nationwide tourism.

Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) partnered with Tourism Whitsundays to welcome local businesses to the event which connected stakeholders with the latest insights into their industry.

The TEQ event at Mantra Club Croc hosted a who’s who of the Whitsundays’ tourism partners, as well as the Queensland Government’s Minister for Tourism Industry Development and Innovation and Minister for Sport, Stirling Hinchliffe.

The annual event highlights the state body’s marketing activities and opportunities for local businesses to get involved in them. Content was also specifically tailored to the needs of the businesses in the Whitsundays.

Minister Hinchliffe said it was excellent to see a great turnout from local operators, as well as representatives from across the state and country.

“It is great to have so many people interested in the conversations here in this region,” Minister Hinchliffe said.

“These conversations with industry this year are an opportunity to explore opportunities for the industry and continue the amazing work by individuals in building back better after the pandemic.”

Minister Hinchliffe said what was seen in the region was a terrific example of “the ingenuity of Queenslanders and the industry”.

“We know there have been some stand-out successes in this region during that Covid-19 recovery process,” he said.

Data presented on the day – gathered by Tourism Research Australia for March 2022 - showed the Whitsundays had the biggest surge in the country for domestic spending over a three-year trend, increasing 22.9 per cent on average, and going up to $1.1 billion.

But that did not mean the industry wasn’t seeing the same challenges which are ubiquitous across the state, Minister Hinchliffe said.

“The pandemics ongoing shortage of tourism and hospitality staff, chefs through to cleaners and everyone in between, are testing the patience of managers and owners not just in this region,” he said.

“As well as the shortage of housing. That message from you is not falling on deaf ears.”

Minister Hinchliffe’s address was followed by talks from TEQ representatives and delegates, who each spoke on the changing landscape of the industry – with careful notice given to the need to continue capturing the domestic market whilst again bringing in international tourists.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Rick Hamilton, Minister for Tourism Industry Development and Innovation and Minister for Sport Stirling Hinchliffe, Julie Telford, and Tourism Whitsundays staff attending the Conversations with Industry event last week

Tourism Whitsundays invited its network of tourism operators and business owners along to a Conversations with Industry event hosted by Tourism and Events Queensland last week

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