But some dark clouds soon appeared, literally, and delivered yet another blow to the community of South East Queensland and the tourism operators.
Not every business is directly impacted but the damage to business conditions and customer flows will be far-reaching and longer-term, not just the flood-affected areas. Staff movements and availability have also been impacted. We are truly sorry for all operators who are facing yet another existential challenge at this time.
Both the federal and state government have made emergency payments available but this will not cover much of any actual damage. There is also a
survey being conducted by the Queensland government to help direct future support. We will continue to pass on any specific issues our members raise with us and seek effective measure from governments to support you. Never hesitate to contact us directly, we are always willing to listen.
We do have some forward looking and positive things to say in this newsletter and we are still looking forward to cheering on all our Queensland finalists at the Australian Tourism Awards on the Sunshine Coast on 16 March. It is just the party we need by then to get us all in a better frame of mind again.