As restrictions continue to ease across the nation and people look to take their long-awaited holidays, sentiment and confidence towards tourism and events is increasing.
As one of the largest industries in Australia and an important driver of our local economy employing over 5,000 workers prior to the pandemic, it is wonderful to see Queenslanders getting out and supporting the tourism industry.
In our region, we are seeing an incredible increase in visitor numbers since the easing of restrictions, particularly from South East Queensland, with our numbers already exceeding those of 2019.
Recent research conducted by Queensland’s state tourism body, Tourism and Events Queensland, on community sentiment post-pandemic, shows Queenslanders strongly believe that tourism has a positive impact on their local community with over 90 percent of people seeing the industry as good for the economy and local business.
Comfort levels of Queenslanders are also growing in welcoming tourists from more parts of the world. Compared to the rest of Australia, and New Zealand, and thanks to the state’s successful response to the pandemic, confidence levels of Queenslanders in relation to international travel are the highest.
Attracting out-of-region visitation and having significant economic and social impact on the community, events bring considerable opportunities to our region and the state – and Queenslanders know this. Research shows the majority of Queenslanders see events as a key way the community can ‘get back to normal’ post-pandemic, with importance held for our major events to recover quickly.
With restrictions easing, it is positive to see two significant events for the region, Taste Bundaberg Festival and Childers Festival, returning again this year after being postponed due to the pandemic. Combined, these two events see around 60,000 visitors in attendance – helping to contribute to our region’s economy, supporting our businesses, and showcasing our incredible backyard.
The pandemic gave many of us a new-found perspective on the tourism industry, and the importance it has for the economy. With travel increasing and events returning, it is great to see Queenslanders immense support for the industry.
Yours in tourism,
Katherine Reid, CEO
PS: If there are other things you would like to see in this column about tourism – let us know on our corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bundabergtourism
