IN a bid to lure votes in the Far North, LNP leader Campbell Newman has pledged up to $40 million to dredge the Trinity Inlet to allow larger cruise ships to dock in Cairns.
In Cairns this morning to make the announcement, Mr Newman said dredging the inlet would boost tourism by encouraging more cruise ships to come to the city.
“This policy today on tourism is exactly what this city needs,” he said. “The LNP sees Cairns as an important part of our strong plan to get Queensland back on track.”
Mr Newman said he is responding to the pleas of Cairns tourism operators who have voiced concern that a number of large cruise ships are unable to pull into the Cairns port because the Trinity Inlet is not deep enough.
These vessels are forced to dock at Yorkey’s Knob and tourists are transported to the city and other destinations. Mr Newman said cruise ships deliver around 44,000 tourists to Cairns and inject $4.5 million a year into the local economy, but as cruise ships grew larger the lack of access to Cairns could see the city miss out.
________________ | _______________
I wonder if the money might be better spent building a solid pontoon at Yorkeys Knob? Something substantial so that tour operators and locals can wait there for the cruise passengers to alight and meet them. Perhaps a shuttle bus service maintained by the Port Authority wouldnt go astray either.
ReplyDelete