TOURISM MINISTER GRABS BULL BY THE HORNS ON THE GOLD COAST

Bringing the bush to the beach is a mammoth feat – and that’s no bull, says Tourism Minister Margaret Keech.

Mrs Keech will be among the 14 million people worldwide watching the bulldust fly on the Gold Coast this weekend at the USA’s Professional Bull Riders (PBR) inaugural World Cup.

Mrs Keech said the multi-million dollar competition event, being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, was the biggest international bull riding event held in PBR’s history.

“The fact that it took two days, 400 cubic metres of dirt, 20 tonnes of steel and a team of almost 100 to transform the Gold Coast Convention Centre into a bull riding arena, is an indication of size and scale of this event, ” she said.

“This is the first ever PBR Bull Riders World Cup and for it to be held here proves the Gold Coast is truly a world-class destination.

“It’s expected to inject an estimated $5 million into the local Gold Coast economy.”

Mrs Keech said the Beattie Government had worked hard to attract and support such an amazing event.

“Bull riding is traditionally a regional Queensland event and to have it televised internationally from one of the world’s most iconic beach destinations is fantastic,” she said.

“Events of this size and quality are important for growing international interest in visiting Queensland and the Gold Coast.

“The latest International Visitor Survey (IVS) results show that international visitors spent more than $747 million on the Gold Coast, an increase of $23 million or 3.2 per cent over the past year.

“Major international events such as this are vital to ensuring this growth continues.”

Mrs Keech said it was also great to see one of the State’s premier conference facilities used to support tourism events of this calibre.

“The Beattie Government’s recently announced plan to invest a further $40 million into the expansion of the facilities will only increase the Centre’s and Coast’s ability to host large scale events,” she said.

Media Contact: Jo Gibbons 3225 1005 / 0439 761 416