Queensland rolls out red carpet

Dubai: The sunshine state of Queensland in Australia is doing everything to attract tourists from the Gulf.

And it is the aptly named Gold Coast which is setting the pace when it comes to laying out the red carpet for visitors from this region.

The Gold Coast has always been a much-favoured destination for the Gulf with its 42km of unspoilt beaches, state-of-the-art theme parks and opulent designer hotels.

While temperatures in the UAE are reaching dizzying heights and the sand sears during summer, the mercury rises to just a very tolerable 21degreesC on the Gold Coast.

Last year more than 30,000 tourists from the Gulf visited Queensland and, while they may not be the biggest group in terms of numbers, they certainly made up for it when it came to spending.

In 2008 tourists from the Middle East spent A$125 million (Dh355 million) making them the highest-spending foreign visitors to the holiday hotspot.

The Gold Coast is so eager to make sure that it remains a popular destination that it has taken in key considerations when it comes to its Arabian visitors. Some holiday apartments have arrows indicating west, all major theme parks and shopping centres have prayer rooms, halal food is widely available and the Gold Coast has built a mosque.

The airline industry too is making it easier for Middle East visitors to come to Australia.

Soon, more than 100 direct flights will connect the two regions, with Emirates operating 63 flights per week (soon to rise to 70), Etihad flying 21 times a week and Qatar Airways has announced plans to start flights in the winter.

Just two months ago, the Gold Coast hosted Yinala 2009, Australia's largest Middle Eastern Tourism trade show with more than 50 of the region's most senior travel agency representatives visiting the Gold Coast to meet with delegates from Queensland's tourism industry.

The state's tourism minister, Desley Boyle, believes Queensland has much to offer tourists from the Gulf.

"Yinala provides an opportunity for the tourism industry here to develop and establish relationships with key decision makers from the Gulf countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Last year 30,000 Middle Eastern visitors, mainly from the Gulf States, spend an average of 36 nights in Queensland - double that of the average international visitor," she said.

"Not only do we want more Middle Eastern visitors to come to Queensland, but we want them to come back and visit new destinations across the state."

Ben Pole, Gold Coast Tourism's Director of Communications, believes that the number of Middle Eastern visitors to Queensland will continue to rise, despite a slight drop last year.

But with falling airfares and a lower Australian dollar, Pole says the Gold Coast is becoming an even more accessible destination for international visitors, particularly those from the Gulf states.

"The Middle East has been a growing source for visitors for the Gold Coast over a number of years and we expect that trend to continue. We have seen the travel window expand from June and July to a large period between May and August," he said.

"Ramadan is a key consideration for the Gold Coast as it comes within the holiday season so local operators are sensitive to this and work to ensure that visitors' needs are well met."

Last month, Tourism Australia embarked on a Middle East road show, kicking off in Kuwait, which saw officials targeting audiences in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Tourism Queensland's Paul Buggy was one of the Australians selling his home country to the Middle East travel market.

Buggy believes that, despite the worldwide credit crunch, the indicators are looking good for a busy holiday season this year for the Gold Coast.

And, he says, tourism officials are working together with major tour operators in the UAE, such as Emirates Holidays and Etihad Holidays, to help educate travellers about the wonders of Queensland beyond the Gold Coast.

"We want to shift the focus of Arab travellers to the other beautiful attractions that Queensland has to offer. Already we have seen a small increase in people from the Gulf States visiting Cairns in the tropical north," he said.

"Queensland is a totally different destination for people from the Middle East. We want them to look beyond the Gold Coast to the Great Barrier Reef and the honeymoon island of Hayman and Hamilton.

"The Gold Coast still has so much to offer. It is Australia's holiday playground, with beautiful beaches, five star accommodation, theme parks, shopping malls plus very friendly and welcoming Aussies."

- The author is a freelance writer based in Dubai.