{"id":182732,"date":"2017-06-29T21:24:20","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T11:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=182732"},"modified":"2020-09-10T23:08:28","modified_gmt":"2020-09-10T13:08:28","slug":"toowoomba-to-stay-in-tourism-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/06\/29\/toowoomba-to-stay-in-tourism-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Toowoomba To Stay In Tourism Group"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Toowoomba’s annual Carnival Of Flowers receives significant financial support from Tourism and Events Queensland (Photo: Tatters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Toowoomba Cr Geoff McDonald<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 29, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Toowoomba Regional Council has announced it will continue to support the embattled Southern Queensland Country Regional Tourism Organisation (SQCT).<\/p>\n

“Council will continue to work with the Regional Tourism Organisation, Southern Queensland Country Tourism, along with local tourism groups to promote the region as a four season destination for families and visitors,” Environment and Community Committee chair Cr Geoff McDonald said on Thursday.<\/p>\n

“Officers will explore the potential to collaborate with tourism groups to harness any promotion opportunities that will attract visitors from new or existing markets.”<\/p>\n

The announcement could come as a disappointment to tourism operators who are dissatisfied with SQCT’s performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Thursday, Granite Belt tourism operators called into question claims made by SQCT last week that tourism spending had hit a record high over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n

In an interview with the Warwick Daily News, Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce president John Bylicki said some anecdotal information he had received was at odds with the survey results.<\/p>\n

Several Granite Belt tourism operators the News approached also called the results into question.<\/p>\n

South Burnett tourism operators spoken to by southburnett.com.au<\/strong> have also been sceptical of SQCT’s claims.<\/p>\n

They said they would like to see specific data for the South Burnett instead of aggregated data for the entire SQCT region.<\/p>\n

On Monday, South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell added more fuel to the fire when he revealed in his Budget speech that revenues at Lake Boondooma and Yallakool had fallen by $225,000 in the past year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell said he would be reviewing Council’s role in tourism, including a decision on its membership of SQCT and future funding models for local tourism organisations.<\/p>\n

In January, Toowoomba businessman John Wagner gave vent to the frustrations felt by some tourism operators when he blasted SQCT as an “absolute joke” and a “disgrace”.<\/p>\n

Mr Wagner is the high-profile developer and owner of Wellcamp Airport.<\/p>\n

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said at the time he welcomed discussion about tourism growth, and thought the timing of Mr Wagner’s comments was right.<\/p>\n

He was backed by Cr McDonald, who said Toowoomba Regional Council was looking at a number of models in support of the tourism sector and these would be considered ahead of Budget deliberations for the 2017-18 financial year.<\/p>\n

Mr Wagner then went on to set up the breakaway Darling Downs Tourism Local Tourism Organisation in May.<\/p>\n

A group of tourist operators in the South Burnett are also in the process of setting up a local tourism organisation, and have held discussions with the South Burnett Regional Council about it.<\/p>\n

Both groups would like to see councils rechannel some or all of the funding they give SQCT into local tourism organisations, which they think would be more effective.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is believed the South Burnett Regional Council currently contributes about $60,000 a year to help fund SQCT, and Toowoomba Regional Council is thought to contribute $300,000.<\/p>\n

SQCT also receives funding from Southern Downs, Goondiwindi and Western Downs Regional Councils and Balonne Shire Council, along with smaller amounts from tourism operators who take up memberships.<\/p>\n

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