Tourism body briefs finance leaders

REPRESENTATIVES from Gold Coast Tourism (GCT), the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) and the Regional Economic Development Advisory Board recently travelled to Sydney to brief top Australian financial advisors on the strength, integrity and strategy of destination Gold Coast.

GCT and GCCC presented a strategy to more than 40 analysts from financial services giant Goldman Sachs JBWere (GSJBW), where strategies, targets and the current economic environment were discussed as part of GCT's five-year plan.

GCT'S s goal is to increase the 2004 figure of 4.1 million overnight visitors per annum to 6.5 million by 2010 (a 58 per cent increase) and lift the average spend per visitor by 17 per cent from $789 to $923.

This will be done through targeting emerging markets - including China, India and the Middle East - and business tourists and will be supported by international, low-cost carriers flying into Gold Coast Airport following the runway extension. Interest in the future of the Gold Coast has been high since the city's commitment to the Gold Coast Tourism Five Year Plan, with the tourism body facilitating discussions and presentations to institutions across various markets.