FEDERAL Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson has urged regional coastal cities to embrace the cruise sector, commenting that the tourism industry’s biggest area of growth was showing no sign of abating. Speaking with CW this week in Cairns at the launch of Tourism Australia’s new ‘Best Jobs in the World’ campaign,...
FEDERAL Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson
has urged regional coastal cities to embrace
the cruise sector, commenting that the tourism
industry’s biggest area of growth was showing
no sign of abating.
Speaking with CW this week in Cairns at the
launch of Tourism Australia’s new ‘Best Jobs in
the World’ campaign, he said opportunities are
“knocking” for cities across the country.
Ferguson made the remark when questioned
by CW if the Gillard Govt was a proponent of a
multi-billion Broadwater Marine Project being
explored for the Gold Coast.
“The proposed Gold Coast Cruise Terminal is
a regulatory matter that the Queensland
government is going to have to attend to,” the
Minister said.
Regular shipping movements about the
country are not limited to capital cities, as
smaller and medium-sized cruise lines are
exploring regional towns as they present new
opportunities, where in some cases, mega-liners
are unable to access, he said.
“Some of the regional cities, like the Gold Coast,
currently lack the facilities to accommodate the
big cruise ships, but the country’s cruise growth
is not restricted to large cruise companies.
“Every key centre, be that in capital cities or
regionally, has an incentive to grab a share of
the market,” Ferguson said.
MEANWHILE, SKYCITY Entertainment Group
and Brookfield Multiplex have been shortlisted
for the next stage of the process for the Gold
Coast Broadwater development.
Dubbed the Azure Consortium, the entities
will now present a detailed proposal for the
major tourism infrastructure project.
“This process is still in its very early stages.
During this next phase we look forward to
learning more about the Govt’s and Gold Coast
City Council’s specific goals, expectations and
requirements, prior to providing a more
detailed proposal for consideration by
Government and the Council,” said SKYCITY
ceo Nigel Morrison.
