An influx of travellers from across the ditch is expected to provide a much-needed boost to the region’s international tourism industry.
Seasonal direct flights from Auckland to the Sunshine Coast will resume next month, propelling overseas visitor numbers closer to pre-COVID levels.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel said tri-weekly flights from Auckland by Air New Zealand during a four-month blitz would be well received.
“This will provide an immediate boost in the number of Kiwis visiting the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
Their arrival will come off the back of a significant marketing drive.
“We are confident that our current message to Kiwis through the Fly to Sunshine by Lunchtime campaign with AirNZ (in partnership with Sunshine Coast Airport and Tourism Noosa), which is about escaping a chilly winter to enjoy the Sunshine Coast, isn’t going to be a too hard a sell,” Mr Stoeckel said.
The promotion dominates the AirNZ website and highlights the region’s natural beauty, beach culture, sunshine, “top-notch food”, award-winning restaurants and charming cafes.
Visitors from New Zealand have traditionally been critical to the region.
“Prior to COVID, 11 per cent of visitors to the Sunshine Coast were from overseas, with our biggest market being New Zealand,” Mr Stoeckel said.
But during the height of the pandemic, border closures and restrictions brought international tourism to a virtual standstill.
Overseas travel has picked up during the past year or two but there was still some way to go before the situation returned to normal.
Data from Tourism Research Australia showed there were 3.4 million arrivals to Australia last year, which was down 60.8 per cent from 2019.
The impact was even more marked in Queensland: down 67.1 per cent.
The number of New Zealanders visiting the state was down 50.9 per cent.
Specific figures for the Sunshine Coast were not available.
It’s hoped that many more overseas visitors will arrive this year.
“Arrival figures for the first four months of 2023 suggest a recovery is underway, but there is still a significant shortfall in holiday travellers from overseas,” Mr Stoeckel said.
“We anticipate the international arrivals will continue to grow steadily over time.”
Their impact on the local economy is immense.
“Our international market delivered over $282 million in economic value to the region in 2019,” Mr Stoeckel said.
“Overseas visitors are critical for our industry as they tend to stay longer and spend more.”
Mr Stoeckel said the region held plenty of appeal to international tourists.
“The Sunshine Coast has a reputation for our nature-based experiences and warm welcome that we provide,” he said.
“International visitors are blown away by what there is to see and do across the Sunshine Coast, from the quality of our fresh local produce, array of dining options, amazing scenery and ability to get up close with nature at our beaches and in the hinterland.
“A growing number of high-profile annual sporting events, music festivals, arts and culture, and food festivals are giving international visitors even more reason to visit the Sunshine Coast.”
An increase in the Passenger Movement Charge (from $60 to $70) for people leaving Queensland was spurned by one federal member of parliament from Queensland this week but defended by The Treasurer.
Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said the tourism industry could be hurt by the extra expense.
“Tourism accounts for billions of dollars of vital economic activity across Queensland but Labor are slugging Queenslanders with a new tourism tax by increasing the Passenger Movement Charge,” he said.
But Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the first rise in the PMC in seven years would have little impact.
“It (the rise) reflects the indexation,” he said.
“I have more faith in the tourism industry than the member does, if he thinks that an extra 10 bucks to leave Queensland is going to deter people from coming to Queensland.
“People are not sitting around in London or Brussels and thinking ‘I really want to hit the Sunshine Coast but that 10 bucks on the way out is going to prevent me’.
“I believe in the tourism industry of Queensland. People will continue to come to Queensland because it is an amazing place … and 10 bucks to leave Australia won’t deter them.”
When asked if the PCM would have an impact on Sunshine Coast tourism, Mr Stoeckel said: “The tourism industry needs all the support it can to rebuild international tourism to Australia, which remains well down on what it was prior to the pandemic.”
The seasonal direct flights from Auckland will start on June 25.
