Community & Business
9 July, 2023
Get up to the gulf to help
Tourism season has begun in Far North Queensland but with small businesses reporting one of the slowest starts in years, travellers are being urged to visit the Gulf.
Tourism season has begun in Far North Queensland but with small businesses reporting one of the slowest starts in years, travellers are being urged to visit the Gulf.
Katter’s Australian Party Leader Robbie Katter said while there were a number of reasons why tourism wasn’t booming - including incorrect road condition information and the rising cost of living - he encouraged people to make the trip north.
“North West Queensland and the Gulf country have had a horrid start to the year with flooding,” he said.
“Many businesses have been torn apart and forced to rebuild. These same businesses have gone months without seeing a tourist step foot through their doors.”
Yvonne Tunney, owner of Ash’s @ The Point Café in Karumba, expressed her concerns regarding the slow start.
“There’s no doubt that people are travelling overseas now that they can, tour bus groups are down because of this, so we’re seeing tours being dropped,” she said.
“Our tourism season is starting later and finishing much earlier than it used to, which is a real concern.
“It’s not just a concern for us as business operators, it’s a concern for the employees we can’t afford to keep on, and a concern for suppliers when our orders take a plunge – it affects everyone.”
Ms Tunney said it was disappointing to see the tourism season wasted when conditions were perfect up their way.
“The bird life is amazing, the fishing has never been better and the weather is sensational,” she said.
