British wanted in Cairns

[Guest Ktee]

A NEW target of more than 400,000 British and European visitors a year coming to the Far North by 2015 has been set by the tourism industry.

It would mean an additional 168,000 people, or more than 3200 a week, on top of the 150,000 Europeans and 82,000 British already travelling to the region.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Rob Giason said Corroboree Europe 2012 held in Cairns last month and next year's Australian Tourism Exchange were two events that would help promote the destination to the British, Germans, French and other European travellers.

"Ultimately we want to increase visitation from the UK and European markets to more than 400,000 by 2015 with the aim of creating new business and around 823 extra jobs for the region just from this market," he said.

Mr Giason said already there were signs of improvement from the UK and Europe.

"We believe Europe, particularly the UK, has hit rock bottom and we're confident they will continue to pick up again," he said.

Mr Giason said the British and Irish Lions tour had lifted numbers as would the forthcoming Ashes cricket series.

He said aviation links were vital to get the British and Europeans to Cairns with the Qantas-Emirates alliance and the Virgin-Singapore Airlines combination providing easier access.

"This growth would support the push for increased aviation links, especially a direct service between Cairns and Singapore," he said.

Mr Giason said airlines such as Silkair and other Asian-based airlines would start configuring their A320s with the new longer range Neo engines by 2015 which would mean Cairns was comfortably within non-stop distance.

Queensland Hotels Association Far North accommodation division chairman Peter Blackburn said the 400,000-plus target was "very ambitious".

He said the numbers of British and European tourists were growing but not "fantastically" to Cairns.

Mr Blackburn said he hoped the falling dollar would attract more British and European visitors.