Tourism authorities say Cyclone Jasper has cost the industry $60 million in lost visitor expenditure and are urging travellers not to give up on Far North Queensland.
Key points:
- News of the Cyclone Jasper resulted in mass cancellations of tourism bookings
- One operator said they had lost $500,000 a day in bookings
- They were ready to welcome back visitors now that the cyclone had passed
Much of the region is breathing a sigh of relief after escaping serious damage from the category 2 system, which passed near Wujal Wujal, north of Port Douglas, on Wednesday night.
But the tourism cities of Cairns and Port Douglas have suffered a financial blow in the wake of the storm, with cancelled accommodation bookings and tours.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said it was a concerning loss for the region’s major employer, with international travel still well below pre-pandemic levels.
“We’ve seen $60 million worth of lost visitor expenditure between now and the 22nd of…