As we all know, Port Douglas has the rightful claim to the term 'Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.' It has a restaurant industry that continues to win numerous awards, and a stretch of beach that is recognised around the world.

It is a destination that a generation of holiday makers from all corners of the globe travel thousands of kilometres to visit.

Eager travellers spend hours, or even days on planes, trains, and automobiles in anticipation of arriving here, and we all know the feeling of weary excitement as we see the sign marking the end of our journey and the beginning of our holiday.

So how do we greet these committed people? With as little fanfare as possible looking at the sign welcoming visitors to Port Douglas.

A reader of The Newsport sent us this photo and raised the question "Can't we do better than this?"

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It's a valid point. Currently our signage appears to promote Cairns Regional Council more than the things that makes the town famous.

And driving north from Cairns along the Captain Cook Highway, would you even know what you were missing out on if you didn't take the right-hand turn into Port Douglas Road?

It's part of the wider problem identified by the Melbourne Business School who found that "Port marketing and branding is constrained by Tourism Queensland and messages are diluted with no unique identity".

It goes on to say "The Port Douglas identity has become less unique as Palm Cove and Cairns have also positioned themselves as “where the reef meets the rainforest.”

This extends to "Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef."

Perhaps it's time the entrance to Port Douglas displayed something befitting the location, and could be a small step in reclaiming our identity.

Let us know your thoughts below.