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Whitsunday tourism operators gearing up for a bumper winter season have been dealt another blow with the announcement of the latest Victorian Covid-19 lockdown.
Island resorts have been inundated with phone calls in the hours since the announcement, with Hamilton Island’s reservations line informing callers of “unusually high call volumes and long wait times” as a result of the new interstate travel restrictions.
Hamilton Island staff were unable to comment this afternoon, but Daydream Island and Long Island accommodation providers reported receiving multiple calls from Victorians seeking to either cancel or change their reservations.
Daydream Island is understood to have received 10 booking change requests within hours of the Queensland’s border closure.
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Local tourism operators have been âflat outâ today responding to Queenslanders eager to explore their own backyard with help from a new government travel subsidy.
The Queensland governmentâs âHoliday Dollarsâ scheme launched in the Whitsundays today, inviting eligible Queensland residents to share in 6000 x $200 vouchers to spend on tourism experiences in the region.
Mary Gallagher, a sales assistant at Bowenâs Big Mango and Visitor Information Centre said by lunchtime today, she had personally responded to more than 30 email and phone inquiries and 20 in-person inquiries about the scheme, and had already processed several bookings from people redeeming the vouchers.
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Whitsundays tourism operators will enjoy a much-needed boost when the state government expands its popular ‘Holiday Dollars’ travel voucher scheme next month.
A partnership between the government and Tourism Whitsundays will give away 6000 vouchers worth $200 each, in a move set to generate more than $5m in visitor spend for local tourism operators.
The offer launches on May 4, with holiday-makers and locals already in the region able to claim a voucher for use during their stay.
The vouchers will cover 50 per cent of the cost of the booking with eligible tourism experience operators, up to a maximum of $200.