A big push is on to attract more pet-owning tourists to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
As most dog, cat or lorikeet loving grey nomads are already aware, travelling with a furry or feathered friend can be a challenge. However, with the domestic tourism dollar more important than ever, no town wants travellers – even pet-owning ones – to drive on by.
The Sunshine Coast’s peak tourism body, Sunshine Coast Destinations, has just announced plans to roll out the best fur-friendly welcome in the state in a bid to tap into a tourism market they say is worth ‘millions’.
Recent surveys show one in five tourists would bring their dog or cat with them if they had a pet-friendly place to stay. Already almost 180 places on the Coast promote themselves as pet-friendly. Many of these business operators say their business has surged since they advertised the fact they allowed dogs.
The problems facing long-term, pet-loving travellers visiting the region were highlighted recently by ‘local’ grey nomad Debbie Baldwin who said she and her husband find it difficult to return home for the occasional visit in their caravan because of their poodle.
“There is nowhere on the Sunshine Coast from Noosa to Caloundra that will take a pet in a caravan park,” Ms Baldwin wrote in a letter to the Noosa News. “Now there are quite a lot of us nomads out there who travel with their pets and the Sunshine Coast is missing out on a lot of tourist dollars.”
Pet-friendly advocate Suzanne Wright said Noosa needed all the help it could get in attracting visitors.
“Councils and governments just need to put some guidelines in place and then allow the businesses to work out how to best service their clients,” Ms Wright told the Noosa News. “Noosa needs customer service not restrictions.”
However, change is not going to be easy.
Boreen Point Campground park manager Steven Young said it was out of the question for his campground to become pet-friendly despite it being nominated by some residents as a possible option.
“This spectacular piece of the Noosa Biosphere has a unique biodiversity of plants, birds and wildlife, visited by nature lovers from around the world,” Mr Young said in a letter to the Noosa News.
And Tourism Noosa Marketing and Media Director Diane Ainsworth said there was a definite need for balance with there being just as many Noosa holidaymakers looking for pet-free zones.
“People are passionate about their pets but there are those who are equally as passionate about not having their holiday interrupted by other people’s pets,” she said.
Sunshine Coast mayor Bob said the council is still reviewing its rules governing dogs on beaches.
“We have got to get places where dogs can go and places where people can go without dogs,” he said.
