The Gold Coast is repositioning itself as a ‚Äúhip” destination as it makes a play for young travellers from Asia that might be lured to the region by Scoot‚Äôs new low cost air link.

The Gold Coast is repositioning itself as a ‚Äúhip” destination as it makes a play for young travellers from Asia who might be lured to the region by Scoot‚Äôs new low cost air link.

The Singapore Airlines’ subsidiary operated its inaugural Singapore-Gold Coast service last week and will carry an estimated 100,000 international tourists to Queensland each year, injecting $65 million into the local economy.

Tourism Queensland international media and trade relations manager Linda Zaklikowski told Travel Today the low fares, and a variety of new accommodation options such as QT Gold Coast and Accor’s new Sea Temple, were making the family destination more appealing to young people.

‚ÄúWe‚Äôre putting a focus on hip new trendy accommodation and bars through radio and media outlets”, she revealed.

Meanwhile, the tourism body stressed it was ‚Äúcommitted to attracting new aviation deals for the state”.

‚ÄúConnecting Queensland to other international aviation hubs and providing low-cost access into the state is paramount,” chief executive Anthony Hayes said.

‚ÄúThe drawback has always been air capacity,” Zaklikowski agreed, adding the tourism body was buoyed by increased services from China Southern in November and the Air New Zealand service to the Sunshine Coast which launches in July.