Page 17 - Tropic Magazine Issue 29

TROPIC • TOURISM

Visitor enticement

FINANCIAL LURES
The Cairns region’s tourism
sector was one of the most
dependent in the country on
the JobKeeper Scheme, however
a range of stimulus measures
have been announced to keep accommodation quality, affordability and A Qantas Dreamliner with Emily Kame
the industry humming. traveller satisfaction. Kngwarreye’s ‘Yam Dreaming’ livery landing in
It seems southern communities have Cairns. Credit: Seth Ali
Words: Renee Cluff taken note. When the State Government
announced it would provide 15,000 $200 the re-opening of the newly-renovated
When the Federal Government vouchers for Queenslanders holidaying Cairns Convention Centre in May. It’s
announced half price airfares would in Cairns, more than 106,000 people already locked in three conferences and
replace JobKeeper payments for the applied. “Cairns Holiday Dollars are two events in its first three months,
tourism sector, it was met with a mixed paying dividends for tourism operators including the Australasian College for
reaction. Concerns over a lag between with a surge in holiday bookings,” said Emergency Medicine conference, which
the payments ending and a potential Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe. is set to deliver thousands of visitors
domestic visitor boom had some industry “The total number of expressions of to the region. More announcements
leaders warning of big job cuts. interest in getting hold of a voucher is are imminent.
While the true ramifications are still more than three times than expected, There’s even hope on the international
unclear, what is certain is there is plenty confirming Cairns and the Great Barrier tourism front. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce
of interest in our region as a holiday Reef as Queensland’s place to be.” visited Far North Queensland in March,
destination. Wotif.com, one of the If commercial confidence is anything to announcing the ‘flying kangaroo’ is
country’s premier sites for domestic go by, the boom is coming, with Qantas partnering with Japan Airlines, to secure
tourism bookings, has crowned Cairns already adding 21 Cairns flights to its a Cairns-Narita service once a COVID
the top Aussie Town of the Year based on weekly schedule. This also coincides with bubble opens.

Valued

protection Awards, following last year’s
COVID hiatus.
Authority Chair Leslie Shirreffs is urging
CASSOWARY AWARDS members of the public to nominate
conservation champions across nine
Nominations are open to categories, including the newly-
recognise and celebrate efforts established Climate Change Leadership
to protect the world heritage- category. “The Cassowary Awards
listed Wet Tropics Rainforest. recognise community efforts to conserve,
present and protect the Wet Tropics
Area and honour those outstanding
Named after the iconic flightless individuals and organisations who
bird which inhabits the 9000 square apply their passion and skills to protect
kilometres of protected North and showcase the Area,” she said. “We
Queensland rainforest, the coveted are seeking nominations from across
Cassowary Awards initiative is the only the community—including innovators,
awards program in Australia to recognise educators, young people, tour operators
community contributions to world and Rainforest Aboriginal people—so we
heritage management. can celebrate the integral work of these
The Wet Tropics Management Authority local champions.”
has been presenting the awards for Nominations are open until 19 April, with
decades and it has become a prestigious the awards night scheduled for Tank 3 MORE: wettropics.gov.au
event on the region’s calendar. This year’s at the Cairns Botanical Gardens a
ceremony will mark the 18th Cassowary month later.

17 • tropicnow.com.au