THERE are renewed calls for the backpacker tax to be dropped by the Turnbull Government, a tax that would have a major impact on Port Douglas.

Minister for Tourism Kate Jones said the latest international visitor data showed the tax was already turning backpackers away before it is even introduced.

“Since the tax was announced we have seen working visa holiday visitor nights down by close to nine per cent in Queensland,” she said.

“In the year to June 2016, Queensland recorded 12.3 million backpacker visitor nights down from 13.5 million in the 12 months to June 2015.

“We also saw the total number of backpackers visiting Queensland drop from 338,000 to 331,000 over the same period,” said Jones.

“At a time when the Palaszczuk Government has been working with the tourism industry to attract record numbers of international and local tourists to Queensland, the Turnbull Government’s proposal for a backpacker is having a direct reduction in backpacker visitor nights.

“As long as the Turnbull Government continues to dither with this tax, backpackers will choose other destinations like New Zealand and Canada.

“We know backpackers are worth more than $900 million to the Queensland economy and Mr Turnbull is putting that a risk.”

She said it doesn’t make sense to slug backpackers with a new tax when their contribution to regional economies is so important.

“We should be making it easier for people to holiday and work in Queensland, not harder.”