On September 14, the Cairns Tourism Bureau held a press conference at the Australian Embassy in Minato-ku, Tokyo, with a presentation on the theme of “A Future-oriented Tourism without Overtourism.
Cairns, located in the northern part of Queensland, is a small rural city with a population of about 155,000, yet it is one of the most popular areas in Australia, home to two World Natural Heritage Sites, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.
According to the Cairns Tourism Bureau, 457,852 people visited Australia from Japan in 2019 before the Corona. Of these, 312,628 were for tourism and leisure, with tourists to the Cairns Great Barrier Reef accounting for 34% (105,237) of the total.
In June 2023, the number of tourists recovered to 70% of the 2019 level, and the figures for the summer vacation season July-August were also favorable.
One of the main reasons for this is the increase in direct flights between Japan and Cairns, from 14 flights per week from Narita and Kansai Airport as of August 2019 to currently 19-21 flights per week with Virgin Australia Airlines’ new service to Haneda in June 2023.
Cairns is the only city in Australia with direct flights from all three Japanese airports, and in the past three months, Cairns’ worldwide route research (country-by-country data for those who booked or searched for flights to Cairns) showed that Cairns ranked first at Kansai International Airport, third at Narita, and sixth at Haneda. Furthermore, Fukuoka and Centrair (Nagoya), which do not have direct flights, ranked 16th and 18th, respectively, both in the top 20.
The figures show the high level of interest in Cairns among Japanese travelers, including those on working holiday and business trips,” said Mark Olsen, Director General of the Cairns Tourism Bureau. Japan is a very important market for us. Japan is a very important market for us.
Over the past three years, infrastructure improvements have also been made at key locations such as Cairns Airport, the Esplanade on Coastal Avenue (a three-kilometer promenade from the marina), and the Convention Center to reopen them to tourism and welcome visitors.
Cairns is a ‘small city in the middle of nature’ that can be easily accessed. Cairns is a small city in a great natural environment that is easy to get to. It is full of activities, gourmet food, and other attractions. We will make every effort for the next fiscal year to bring smiles to the faces of our Japanese customers in Cairns,” said Mr. Mark Olsen.
The concern here is the issue of environmental conservation due to the excessive increase in the number of travelers. However, in Cairns, the gateway to the World Heritage Site, ecotourism efforts are taking root with the awareness that “while attracting tourists is an important activity, we absolutely must avoid losing anything by increasing the number of tourists.
For example, when touring the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef group, the number of people allowed on the island each day is limited to 100, all equipment used for nature activities is carried by staff and not a single piece of trash is left behind, and coral-friendly swimming techniques are taught.
According to Sam Sakamoto, Cairns Tourism Sales and Marketing Manager Asia, the cost of a visit to the Great Barrier Reef includes an “environmental management tax” (Reef Tax), which “is used to fund environmental research, study, and conservation. The more people who visit, the more we can protect the environment,” he explained.
In addition, in downtown Cairns, there are messages reminding people that “if you throw garbage on the street, it will end up in the river,” pictograms to help people of all nationalities understand manners, and water servers installed throughout the city so that people can always fill up their own bottles with water. Water servers are installed throughout the city so that people can always get water in their own bottles, and the city is making progress in creating a sustainable city.
Cairns Tourism Ambassador “Lehman Traveler” Hirofumi Higashimatsu and Cairns Marathon Ambassadors Wakana Fukushima and Mai Fukushima participated as guests at the press conference, introducing episodes from their travels in Cairns with fun photos.
Cairns has so much to offer: snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, fantastic early morning balloon tours, exuberant seafood at a popular marina restaurant, a stroll along the seaside town, a moment at a cafe, the Kuranda sightseeing railroad through the rainforest, and so much more. Mr. Toumatsu said that through his various experiences, “I feel the earth is alive.
Incidentally, the ideal time to fully enjoy a trip to Cairns is five nights and six days or more. The official website of the Cairns Convention and Visitors Bureau also introduces model courses by generation, such as “Plan for Couples/Honeymoon,” “Plan for Middle Generation,” and “Plan for Families,” which allow you to enjoy both classic spots and hidden gems.
© Source travel watch
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