Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

Responding to the negative impact COVID-19 has had on Tropical North Queensland, the Queensland Government is offering 15,000 Queenslanders a free $200 travel voucher to spend on tourism experiences when they holiday in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region over the next four months.

The special deal, launched on Sunday, gives people three days from 8 – 11 March to enter the draw to secure one of the vouchers which they can use anytime from 15 March to 25 June this year.

Registration opened at 12 noon today and the response was so overwhelming it caused the website to briefly crash.

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said he believes that we most certainly can benefit from this program.

"While only 15,000 vouchers may be available, which will be a great boost, this will give the tourism bodies a significant data base of people who are looking to travel to this region and ones that want to do activities.

"This will allow direct marketing to many of those people that will also be able to take advantage of some of the wonderful products that this region has to offer," said Kerr.

"I hope this welcome initiative helps build domestic confidence to travel here (Port Douglas) and Great Barrier Reef," said Steve Edmondson, Sailaway’s owner/operator.

Edmondson said even if you are not lucky enough to get a $200 voucher, one of 15,000 registering at Queensland.com, it’s a win-win for the wonderful attractions/operators and to those experiencing them.

“I hope across all Australia, Tropical North Queensland is highlighted as a perfect break away. Our feedback every day is exceeding expectations and pleasant surprises; even from Cairns locals of: “wow I did not realise how beautiful Port Douglas and stunning Great Barrier Reef is … we’ll be back.”

It’s the first time in Queensland that a government has offered vouchers to bolster and support the tourism industry.

“But these are extraordinary times and Tropical North Queensland tourism operators have done it very tough over the last 12 months.

“It’s expected the initiative could generate an extra visitor spend of up to $14 million for the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef economy,” said Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 800,000 overseas visitors had landed in Cairns every year and contributed more than $1 billion to the region’s economy.

“To have almost a third of your visitor economy wiped out by COVID’s closure of the international border is a big hit in anybody’s language,” said Premier Palaszczuk.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen welcomed the Cairns Holiday Dollars as an incentive for visitors to add an additional experience to their Cairns and Great Barrier Reef holiday.

“Our region’s diverse tourism experiences showcasing two World Heritage areas have helped turn the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region into an international destination,” he said.

Registrations of interest are now open at Queensland.com.