Multi-million-dollar tourism fund to secure flights for Queensland

The Palaszczuk Government will provide $5 million to 15 Queensland airports to secure new domestic flights to fast-track the tourism industry’s economic recovery.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the initiative followed the Government’s recent partnership with Whitsundays Regional Council that secured Alliance Airlines flights to fly four times a week between Brisbane and the Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) Airport starting on 22 June 2020.

“We know that tourism operators right across the state are hurting due to COVID-19,” she said.

“This funding will allow thousands more Queenslanders to explore their own state and will pump millions of dollars into communities that rely on tourism.”

Ms Jones "said today’s announcement could support 1500-1600 jobs per year over a three-year period, with each flight tipped to generate up to 50 jobs along the supply chain.

“Through the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund and the extra $5 million we’ve tipped in, we’re supporting Queensland’s airports to negotiate directly with airlines to secure new flights and new routes,” Ms Jones said.

“We’ve invested more in flights than any government in Queensland’s history because we understand that flights mean jobs for locals.

“Before COVID-19, tourism supported one in 10 Queensland jobs. We need to safeguard as many of these jobs as possible – new flights will help us to achieve that.”

ENDS

Media contact: Jack Harbour 0419 620 447