Page 16 - Tropic Magazine Issue 20

TROPIC • TOURISM

Bed tax

barometer

TOURISM LEVY
Does the tourism levy proposal
As Cairns Regional Council hits have industry support? Alan Wallish
the accelerator on its proposed Managing Director Passions of Paradise
tourism levy, Tropic has asked IN SUPPORT
local tourism operators if they “We should all see value in raising money
to fund competitive marketing.”
support the move.

Words Renee Cluff Steve O’Malley Tony Baker
QLD General Manager Experience Co. Managing Director Quicksilver
A detailed model for a bed tax is being
IN SUPPORT
IN SUPPORT
assembled by a bevy of Council and “To meet similar destination marketing “TTNQ needs to have sustainable funding
tourism industry lawyers. Cairns spends of our southern peers Cairns will in an increasingly competitive market.”
Mayor Bob Manning told Tropic it will need to lift expenditure by around six
be completed before year’s end, after times current annual budgets.”
which Council will approach the State
Government for necessary legislative
changes. “We really need to go hard at
it and either break it or break through,”
he said. “We want this done and dusted, Nicholas Henderson
locked away well before the end of this General Manager
year. The decision now is go for speed.” Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside
Under the proposal, visitors would Pip Woodward NEEDS FURTHER CONSULTATION
be charged 1%-2% of their nightly Co-founder CaPTA Group “Businesses have to collect, audit and
accommodation fee, raising up to $20 IN SUPPORT account for such taxes and that cost is
million dollars annually for “TTNQ needs more funding dollars to often beyond the actual tax value.”
tourism marketing. market the region effectively.”
Cr Manning said he is aware that Michael Trout
consultation with the industry, Owner Blazing Saddles Adventures
particularly with hotel operators who will IN SUPPORT
be most impacted, “is going to be testing.” “Once we have our own funding
we will not be beholden to Brisbane
Wayne Reynolds and Canberra.”
General Manager Reef Hotel Casino
NEEDS FURTHER CONSULTATION
“I can’t make a comment as there’s
no detail on how it would be
implemented or managed.”
James Dixon
Peppi Iovannella Managing Director Down Under Tours
Managing Director Down Under Dive IN SUPPORT
IN SUPPORT “I’ve been pushing for this for the past
“80% should be spent on marketing the 10 years and can’t believe we haven’t
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef brand.” done it sooner.”

High-tech pitch

STUDENT TOURISM
MiHaven Student Living is using innovative applied for a digital marketing grant to
360-degree, 3D video and imagery to create digital experiences specifically for
develop a suite of new marketing tools. international target markets in their local
The digital content will allow prospective languages. The content will be deployable
students to take a virtual tour of the via Virtual Reality headsets as well as web
accommodation and highlight educational and mobile versions and will be available to
facilities and local scenery. MiHaven has agents and students alike.

16 • Tropic • Issue 20