RAPAD region rolls out the welcome mat and applauds Queensland Government
The seven councils of central-western Queensland have welcomed the further relaxing of travel restrictions announced by the Queensland Premier yesterday.
From midday today (June 1st 2020) there are no restrictions on Queenslanders travelling in Queensland.
The Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD) wishes to congratulate the State Government for getting on top of COVD-19 so swiftly and returning travel in Queensland back to normal sooner than expected.
“Anastacia Palaszczuk and her team have done an immense job under pressure to protect Queenslanders from coronavirus, she has introduced unpopular restrictions which have been tough on the economy but they have kept us safe and because of them, we can now start the road back to normality earlier than expected,” RAPAD Chair Tony Rayner said.
The easing of intrastate travel restrictions means that Queenslanders will be able to visit the outback during the winter school holidays which will have an immense impact on the local tourist season.
“Tourism is an exceptionally important industry in western Queensland attracting a half a billion-dollar spend each year, it is critical to the region, so we welcome the relaxation of restrictions during the most important period in our tourist season,” RAPAD CEO David Arnold said.
The earlier than expected relaxation of Queensland travel restrictions will go some of the ways to help local operators claw back some of the losses incurred at the beginning of the season.
“The industry will need support because the outback season doesn’t start until Easter and so the timing of closures meant an extended period with very limited turnover,” he said.
Mr Arnold is part of the Premier’s Queensland Industry Recovery Alliance and is looking forward to sharing with the Government RAPAD’s COVID-19 recovery plan to demonstrate how we can contribute to Queensland’s rapid recovery.
