More than nine hundred campervans and motorhomes that descended on Rockhampton last week for one of the country’s biggest RV rallies have firmly placed the Capricorn region on the drive tourism map, Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said.
(Media-Newswire.com) - More than nine hundred campervans and motorhomes that descended on Rockhampton last week for one of the country’s biggest RV rallies have firmly placed the Capricorn region on the drive tourism map, Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said.
Mr Lawlor said the 24th National Rally of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia attracted around 2000 people to Rockhampton and placed the Capricorn region’s tourism credentials on show.
“Campervan and motorhome owners are the great road travellers of Australia, exploring all corners of the country and injecting much needed tourism dollars into regional economies,” he said.
“Rockhampton was chosen because of its location, the venue it offered and its renowned hospitality.
“The city did a fantastic job of hosting more than 900 RVs and 2000 people, who are now off exploring all the highways and byways of the Capricorn region and further afield.
“The staging of this event in Rockhampton means the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia’s 55,000-plus members will hear all about this fantastic destination.
“This is great exposure for Rockhampton and the Capricorn region’s brilliant attractions and experiences.
“We acknowledge how important the drive tourism market is to the Queensland tourism economy and the Bligh Government is doing all we can to make them want to come back and visit again.
“That’s why the Queensland Government is keen to continue working with the CMCA on a ‘leave-no-trace’ scheme, which helps us create dump points all over the state for an easy and safe way to dispose of wastewater.
“It’s important the only thing left behind are tyre tracks and that’s why the Bligh Government committed $100,000 last year to greatly increase the number of dump points across Queensland.
Mr lawlor said the campervan and motorhome market held up across Queensland during the recent challenging economic climate.
“In the year ending June 2009, domestic visitors to caravan parks and commercial camping grounds rose by nine percent from the previous year," he said.
“With an average length of stay of 6.5 nights, campervan and motorhome travellers make an important contribution to our tourism industry.”
Mr Lawlor said Tourism Queensland promoted nine drive routes on the Queensland Holidays website to ensure road travellers were enticed to destinations the length and breadth of Queensland.
“Four of these routes intersect the Capricorn region - Australia’s Country Way, the Capricorn Highway, the Leichhardt Highway and the Pacific Coast Touring Route,” he said.
“The Capricorn Highway route connects the Great Barrier Reef with the wide vistas of the outback as it travels along the Tropic of Capricorn.
“Tourism Queensland promotes this route internationally as the Reef to Outback.
“Capricorn Tourism has also concentrated promotion of this route through its implementation of the federally-sponsored Dig the Tropic campaign, which entices road travellers to soak up the great experiences that can be had along the Tropic of Capricorn.”
Mr Lawlor said he encouraged Capricorn region residents to show off their renowned hospitality to visitors taking part in the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia’s National Rally.
“The Capricorn region is known as a friendly, welcoming, down-to-earth place and I’m sure our visitors will take home fond memories of their travels. ”
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