The inaugural Cairns Airport Adventure Festival – including Challenge Cairns in which Port Douglas was featured - has provided an economic boost of $7.5 million for the Cairns region, according to Premier Anna Bligh.

Premier Bligh said the government had initially anticipated a boost of $3 million, but was delighted with the generated economic impact, of which more than $6.2 million was in the Cairns region.

"The event smashed all expectations, which was a great shot in the arm for Cairns and the Far North," she said.

Member for Cook, Jason O’Brien, said despite concerns by Port Douglas business owners that the event had not been a financial coup for the tourist town due to road closures, the end result showed otherwise.

"A few people were concerned about the temporary road closure initially,” Mr O’Brien said.

“But, overall, it was a great event for Port Douglas and has helped stimulate the local economy."

Tourism Port Douglas Daintree Chief Executive, Doug Ryan, said the economic flow-on from this year’s event held in good stead for the event to return over the next four years.

“Of course, that $6.2 million for the Cairns region included Port Douglas, so you can say the event was a great success,” Mr Ryan said.

“And with it locked in for the next four years, the event can only grow into something bigger and better than last year, especially with the three events prior to Challenge Cairns.

“There already are already double the number of competitors nominated for next year’s Coral Coast triathlon, the paddle (the Hekili GBR Ocean Challenge) looks like it is already well-supported, and now that USM Events has taken over the RRR Mountain Bike Challenge, that will also bolster numbers.”

Mr Ryan said accommodation houses and tourist operators would receive a flow-on effect similar to this year’s occupancy boost.

“After this year’s event, there was a high number of competitors and their families who stayed in Port Douglas, and visited the Great Barrier Reef and other tourist attractions in the region,” he said.

“Women’s elite winner, Rebekah Keat, and her family stayed in Port Douglas for a couple of weeks after the inaugural Challenge Cairns, and she actually posted on Twitter those were the best two weeks of her life.

“She has a lot of followers, so that will have a knock-on effect for tourism in our region.”

The Events Queensland economic impact assessment found that overall, the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival, which included Challenge Cairns:

• Attracted more than 6000 people to attend the festival, including 3388 participants;
• Generated an economic impact of more than $7.5 million for the State, of which more than $6.2 million was in the Cairns region;
• Delivered 21,122 visitor nights for the local tourism industry;
• Supported the equivalent of 83 full-time jobs, including 71 in the Cairns/Douglas region;
• The average stay for visitors was 5.7 nights, although international visitors stayed for 7.7 nights;
• The average daily spend for visitors was $395.