Tourist numbers 'too big for us'

12:00a.m. 27th February 2008

| By Jane Gardner

Are our tourists loving us to death?

Most of our Your Coast Your Say survey respondents say yes, but agree that tourism brings positive outcomes for the region such as more jobs and the almighty dollar.

Golden Beach resident Peter Pearce, 48, said tourism on the Coast was on a “self-destruct course”.

“We need to slow down development of tourist accommodation, because we can’t accommodate what we’ve got coming in,” he said.

“These people stay for a period of time over Christmas, rely on facilities that we don’t have – like hospital and police services – they increase the profile of thieves in the area because of their patronage of the Coast.”

Mr Pearce feels the Coast will inevitably mirror our glitzy southern cousin, the Gold Coast.

Tourism Sunshine Coast CEO John Fitzgerald said clever marketing strategies would ensure tourist numbers remained manageable.

“We’re not just focused on increasing numbers of visitors, it is about targeting higher yielding customers,” he said.

“We’re about to complete a regional tourism investment infrastructure plan that looks at the requirements to manage a sustainable tourism industry, so we do have a more informed approach.”

Other Your Coast Your Say stories:

Development is our key concern: survey

Abbot is favourite for top job

Why we’re gloomy about the Coast’s future

Recent Comments

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Posted by Eugene from Doonan

on 27 February, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

A message for John Fitzgerald

"Tourism numbers are NOT managable right now"

Clever marketing strategies will put more dollars in the operators pockets, developers pockets and enhance the self interested prospects of Tourism Sunshine Coast and it's CEO.

The residents nightmare continues.

I have no doubt the Ceo of Tourism Gold Coast was greenwashing the same "informed approach", ten or fifteen years ago, when they were at the same fork in the road that we are now confronted with.

If you are so passionate about higher yield rather than increasing numbers then you would call for a moratorium on non-residential construction with targeted legislation aimed at higher yield capacity.

Whilst enjoying a relaxing day at pristine sunshine beach on saturday; I couldn't help but wonder about the "Sustainable and more informed approach"> when our tranquility was interrupted by a roaring jet boat, full of tourists, which came tearing around Noosa national park and did a few
circuits in front of the Sunshine Beach surf club within the 100 metre limit.

So John I'm just wondering if you could tell me and the other three hundred residents and tourists on the beach, just what was a "Sustainable and more informed approach" about that?

I eagerly anticipate you publishing the line of policy which applies to that?

All election candidates should be responding to this question as well.

What are your policies?

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