Long-term help needed after ex-Cyclone Alfred on top of Govt aid

Tourism and experience operators will need sustained, long-term support after ex-Cyclone Alfred in addition to the Federal Government’s Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) for them to fully recover, Big Red Group CEO David Anderson said.

While the DRA is a welcome initiative for many businesses doing it tough, the head of Australia’s largest experience network said more help is needed as tourism has dropped by up to 95 per cent in the Gold Coast over the 3-9 March period, with the fallout continuing as severe weather warnings remain in place for most of the affected regions.

While the worst of ex-Cyclone Alfred may have passed, Queensland and northern NSW residents and businesses alike are still picking up the pieces in its wake.

“The impact of ex-Cyclone Alfred has been a stark reminder of the challenges that extreme weather can present for the tourism and experiences industry,” Anderson said.

“For the second time in just over a year, Queensland tourism operators have been hit hard by natural disasters – with the effects this time reaching as far as northern NSW.

He said tourism and experience operators – many of whom are the economic pillars of these regions – will need sustained, long-term support to fully recover.

“Tourism is vital to these communities, yet the extreme weather has resulted in a dramatic 95 per cent drop in experience bookings over the past week in the Gold Coast alone,” Anderson said.

“With ongoing severe weather warnings, the fallout will be felt for months to come, affecting not just operators but the entire local economy who rely on consistent visitor numbers. Without targeted recovery initiatives, many will struggle to get back on their feet.

“While we’ve seen time and time again how these operators adapt in the face of adversity – we continue to urge government and industry leaders to prioritise tourism recovery efforts to ensure affected operators receive the necessary support and help affected communities get back on their feet.

“Whether it’s through marketing initiatives to re-attract visitors, infrastructure investment, or financial assistance – it is crucial investments are made in these incredible destinations to help them return to normalcy as soon as it is safe to do so. With the right measures in place and ongoing collaboration between government and operator stakeholders, tourism in the regions hit hard can emerge stronger than before.”