I spoke with the ABC’s Rachel Mealey yesterday afternoon about Queensland’s increasingly difficult-to-justify border restrictions, particularly about the ongoing cost to Queensland’s tourism sector, which is concerned it will miss out on interstate visitor spending it desperately needs over the Christmas season. My comment is after 3:07 in this ABC PM story which was broadcast nationwide last night:
ABC PM story – Deb Frecklington announcing she won’t seek to remain as leader
The importance of interstate travel to the viability of many Queensland tourism operators was emphasised by Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind in a Nine Media radio interview last week: Tourism industry ‘bitterly disappointed’ after QLD border announcement.
Overall, I expect that the lower levels of interstate tourism over the Christmas season will have an adverse impact on the Queensland tourism industry (relative to last year), but I should note there will be some (partially) offsetting effects, such as Queenslanders being more likely to holiday in Queensland destinations. And Queensland’s most popular destinations such as Noosa Heads will probably still be full of people during the peak of the Christmas season, regardless (e.g. see Australian holiday hot-spots are booking out as travel is allowed again). So we need to wait and see the ultimate adverse impact of border restrictions.
Queensland Economy Watch 
Hi Gene, Your mention of the offset of people from QLD or more specifically Brisbane holidaying at Noosa is true. In fact, I would expect Gold and Sunshine coast accomodation to be full as normal over the period. But, being a southern QLDer I would never normally go to north QLD in Summer but southern tourists do. I expect that the tourist centres like Whitsundays and far north will miss out to some extent.
Thanks Russell. yes, that’s a great point