A range of initiatives for the Sunshine Coast have been included in the state government’s new 20-year tourism strategy, Destination 2045.
Public moorings around an island, a potential dark sky reserve and an agritourism boost are among plans for the region, as part of Queensland’s new long-term focus on the visitor economy.
Minister for Tourism Andrew Powell said the Sunshine Coast was set to benefit from a renewed push to attract tourists to the state.
“As a proud local and the Member for Glass House, I know first-hand the incredible tourism experiences we have to offer the world, from Mooloolaba to Maleny,” he said.
“Destination 2045 will ensure the Sunshine Coast is ready to welcome an influx of visitors around 2032 and beyond.”
Want more free local news? Follow Sunshine Coast News on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and sign up for our FREE daily news email.
The statewide scheme aims to more than double the value of visitor expenditure to Queensland’s economy to $84 billion in two decades, while employing 25 per cent more Queenslanders directly.
Tourism projects earmarked for Sunshine Coast
- Dark Sky: Investigating Dark Sky accreditation in suitable locations on the Sunshine Coast to safeguard the hinterland region’s night sky and provide opportunities for visitors to experience it.
- Improved connectivity: Delivering landmark transport network The Wave; and a new Connecting Queensland fund attracting new international flights to the Sunshine Coast, with better intrastate connections.
- Noosa River jetties: Three jetties will be replaced while remaining three will be redesigned to ensure they are fit for purpose to support commercial tour operations and to facilitate visitor access to camping and day-use areas from the Cooloola Recreation Area.
- Growing agritourism: More agritourism experiences like farm stays and paddock-to-plate offerings, helping farmers improve profitability.
- Boosting drive tourism: Getting more people travelling to the Sunshine Coast by making Queensland famous for multi-stop road trips and journeys, with more events in regional areas.
- Mudjimba Island: Installing public moorings around Mudjimba Island to protect the Reef from coral damage caused by boat anchoring.
Tourism plays a critical role in Queensland’s economy.
It supports more than 270,000 jobs and generates $115m a day in visitor expenditure.
About nine out of 10 tourism operations are small businesses.
