Page 29 - Tropic Magazine Issue 19

TROPIC • TOURISM

TTNQ current
marketing budget

$4,912,500

SOURCES OF FUNDING:
Cairns Regional Council (41%)
Tourism and Events Qld (26%)
Industry Cooperative (18%)
Members (12%) The Queenstown example
Cairns Airport (3%) After much debate and a public vote, Queenstown in New
Zealand is introducing a bed tax. The 5% levy is expected
to raise $22.5 million each year, to be spent on local
infrastructure upgrades.
to support a bed tax,” he said. “If
the Mayor creates the power to Cairns vs Queenstown
initiate it, we don’t really have
a choice, we have to support A comparative glance
it. If we all run from it the way Cairns Queenstown
Council is running away from a
rates levy, then nothing will ever 165,000 Population 40,000
get done and we’re just as bad as
everyone else avoiding Annual visitor
the issue.” 3 million numbers 3.3 million

STATE SUPPORT
Member for Cairns Michael 15 million Bed nights 5.5 million
Healy is also prepared to
consider the idea but thinks Proposed bed tax/
businesses and the Council 1% per night 5%
can do more. “In principle I
would support a tax on tourists Yearly revenue from
but I need to see the details,” $15 million proposed tax $22.5 million
he said. “I think Council can
contribute more and I think all
the businesses who benefit both
directly and indirectly from Minister Kate Jones doesn’t CONFIDENT
tourism need to give back to appear to support the Council’s However, Cairns Mayor Bob
tourism marketing. There are push for legislative change to Manning is confident a bed tax will
pubs, clubs, restaurants, even allow for the introduction of eventually get up. “$15 million is
the Woolworths supermarket a bed tax, instead suggesting more than TTNQ has ever seen,” he
in the city that does extremely council go ahead and said. “We need to keep talking with
well out of tourism - are they all introduce a levy on ratepayers the industry, with the lawyers and
members of TTNQ?” or commercial landowners. professional accounting firms. If we
Mr Healy’s support may be “There does not need to be any do this carefully and sensibly and
crucial to getting the proposal legislative change to implement create the narrative as we go, this
over the line. That’s because a tourism levy in Cairns,” Ms will succeed. It might take some
the State Government must Jones said. “There are already time but we want to get this right.”
amend the Local Government levies on the Sunshine and MORE: Follow the bed tax debate
Act for it to proceed beyond Gold Coasts and there’s nothing and more tourism news
a council concept. And so far, stopping Cairns from doing on tropicnow.com.au
that’s proving difficult. Tourism the same.”

29 • tropicnow.com.au