General News
4 October, 2020
Local tourism alive and well
MAREEBA has managed to come out of the COVID-19 lockdown period with many local businesses and tourist operators getting back up to speed.
MAREEBA has managed to come out of the COVID-19 lockdown period with many local businesses and tourist operators getting back up to speed.
After the lockdown period earlier this year, the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce partnered with Mareeba Shire Council to deliver several campaigns, including ‘shop local’ and encouraging residents to be a ‘local tourist’.
As Mareeba and the region is a majority self-driven tourism market the added push from the local campaigns enabled businesses and tourism operators to stay afloat and keep money flowing through the town.
Dino Nastasi, Owner and Director of the Mango Drop Winery in Biboorah said that business has been “bubbling along” and they have been able to keep operating due to the local tourism drive.
“Our business is possibly as good as this time last year but different customers, it’s all local,” he said.
“Normally this time of year it would be all fully tourist.
“Business in our main winery is going well, the one in Kuranda has its’ good days when Sky rail is running.”
President of the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce Joe Moro is excited to see so many local businesses still operating when other towns haven’t been as fortunate.
“The campaigns have been positive for locals to shop local but it has also helped the local tourism industry in Mareeba,” he said.
“From the feedback I have received the business has been as good as it was the year before at least and definitely lifted sales from where they were in March.
“It was a slow start but it has picked up to a reasonable flow of business.”
