SYDNEY, April 27 (Xinhua) — Tourism in Australia’s state of Queensland is on track to earn a few billion dollars throughout April, a dramatic change of fortune from recent years when the industry languished during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tourism windfall for the “sunshine state” is being at least partially attributed to three consecutive long weekends for Easter, Anzac Day and Labor Day, which will be celebrated in Queensland this coming Monday.
The influx over the Easter break led to the busiest days since the pandemic for Brisbane, Cairns and Gold Coast airports, the gateways to three of the state’s most popular destinations.
Tourism authorities noted the state had 21 percent more visitors than the previous Easter, when states such as New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria were at different stages of their battles against COVID-19.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind confirmed that Easter had been a “game changer” for the sector and had…