Redland City Council will look at an incentives package to attract more tourism investment and more tourists to the Redlands.
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said a shortage of tourist accommodation options was preventing the city reaching its potential as a tourism drawcard.
“The Redlands has some beautiful tourist destinations that attract about a million visitors each year,” she said.
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“But it is no secret that the majority of these tourists are day trippers, with the Redlands acting as the transit lounge for their South East Queensland visit.
“Redland City has major advantages over our neighbours – position, position, position. We are just 35km from the third largest city in Australia, in close proximity to the Brisbane port and airport and ideally situated on magnificent Moreton Bay, midway between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
“We want the Redlands to not just be part of the journey, but for it to be the main attraction.
“For this to happen we need a range of accommodation choices so people can stay longer.
“Tourism is identified as one of the key growth sectors of the Redland economy over the next 30 years, so it is important we support this growth.”
Cr Williams today tabled a Mayoral Minute asking Council to explore options for an incentive package to attract investment in tourism accommodation.
“We already have some great tourism accommodation in the Redlands, but we need more, so we will look at incentives to encourage accommodation providers to set up here,” she said.
“We expect new tourism accommodation will come with the two Priority Development Areas, at Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek, and this package will complement those exciting projects.
“We have been hamstrung in bringing conventions and other major events to the city because of a shortage of suitable accommodation.
“New tourism accommodation has the potential to not only generate jobs during construction but to flow through to the rest of the city with more people staying in the Redlands longer.
“Council has been very clear in declaring the Redlands open for business and this has yielded some great outcomes for the city.
“A tourism accommodation incentives package is yet another example of Council looking for ways to get the investment wheels turning in Redland City.”
Cr Williams has asked that the incentives options report be completed and brought back to Council.
