charter flights to tropical North Queensland. These charter flights are scheduled in September and
October and signal an increasing confidence of the Japanese market in Queensland. The charter flights,
supported by Tourism Australia, Tourism Queensland and Tourism Tropical North Queensland, would
bring up to 1,300 Japanese visitors to the region, support important tourism jobs and create more local
economic opportunities.
Three of the charters are carrying school excursion groups from Fukuoka to Cairns in October,
having been organised by travel agency JTB and flown by All Nippon Airways. In addition, JTB will
operate one charter to Cairns, which has already sold out. That will include a five-day holiday package
for Japanese visitors during Japan’s Silver Week long weekend, from 19 to 23 September.
Tourism Queensland, its Australian partners and its international office in Japan are continuing to
seek opportunities with the Japanese travel and aviation industries to bring business into tropical North
Queensland. This news follows a decision by Continental Airlines to continue operating four weekly
flights between Japan and Cairns via Guam after they were introduced as a seasonal measure in April.
In the year ending March, 252,000 Japanese visitors came to Queensland and 142,000 of them visited
the tropical North Queensland region. Despite declines across Australia, Japan remains tropical North
Queensland’s largest international source market. My predecessor and member for Cairns, Desley
Boyle, as well as the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Steve Wettenhall, continue to make strong
representations to me about the need to assist where possible the tropical North Queensland tourism
industry.
The Bligh government is committed to tourism. When it has been most needed this government
has assisted. The difference between this government and the opposition is leadership. That means
making tough decisions in tough times, be it popular or unpopular. That means listening and responding
to the needs of Queenslanders. When the opposition leader matches the Premier’s initiatives, other
people might take him seriously, even other opposition members.
