Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO: 'Blow after blow can make you lose sight of achievements'

21 October, 2020

Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen said (Oct-2020) the coronavirus impact "dealt by the 2019-20 financial year has eclipsed all man-made and natural disasters that the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef tourism industry has weathered". Mr Olsen said prior to coronavirus, "2020 was off to a worrying start with the impact of news of Australia's devastating bushfires and Chinese New Year cancellations as the coronavirus raged through China". Mr Olsen said: "Blow after blow can make you lose sight of achievements", noting the region's tourism had a "fantastic Mar-2020 quarter", increasing visitor expenditure above its 2020 target of AUD3.5 billion (USD2.5 billion), and grew domestic market share to 11.8%. Mr Olsen said it may take up to five years to return to visitor spend of 2019 levels. [more - original PR]