2021-06-16 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                  16 JUNE 2021


Submission Topic   Detail
                   a supplicant, which must come cap in hand for uncertain funding dependent on the
                   whim of Council. You cannot manage an effective destination management
                   organisation on this basis. Council is asking the industry to accept a second rate
                   solution, when a first rate approach has been successfully working for over two
                   decades. Indeed why on earth should the industry trust council when it makes decisions
                   of this magnitude without consulting with the major parties affected by the change?
                   5) While this council may give good faith commitments on disbursement of funds, there
                   is no guarantee that future councils will do the same. Again, such uncertainty does not
                   encourage serious future investment in the sector.
                   6) The quality control that Council exercises over the investment direction of the levy
                   enables Council to protect the lifestyle of its residents. Unlike many other destination
                   promotion organisations, Tourism Noosa has never embarked on a mass tourism path,
                   and indeed would normally only market to the interstate and international market. While
                   more can always be done, it can demonstrate many initiatives in which it encourages
                   sustainable choices by its members and visitors.

                   Councillors, I urge you to reconsider this proposal and reinstate the Tourism and
                   Economic Development levy.

                   Submission 8:
                   I strongly object to proposed changes to the Tourism Levy, as outlined in draft Budget
                   papers, and disagree with the statement that "Tourism promotion has evolved into core
                   Council business". Tourism promotion has sat with Tourism Noosa for 20 years, an
                   organisation that professionally, transparently and strategically promotes the
                   destination, with great success. Our increasing visitor spend (reaching a record $1.2
                   billion in the months before Covid) and the recent Queensland's Top Tourism Town
                   Award (Tourism Noosa's submission) are 2 recent examples. I urge you to maintain
                   the current Tourism Levy structure and continue to fund Tourism Noosa's operations
                   well into the future. Having a tourism-based business I would be very concerned about
                   changing something that is not broken. It has worked incredibly well for many years
                   with Noosa being recognised both locally and internationally through strong marketing
                   of the region. Please think very carefully before you make any changes.

                   Submission 9:
                   I strongly object to the proposed changes to the Tourism Levy (as outlined in draft
                   Budget papers), and the proposal to bring the Tourism and Economic Development
                   Levy under General Rates. This is alarming for the tourism industry and while the
                   statement that "Tourism promotion has evolved into core Council business" is partially
                   true as tourism clearly needs the support of Council in the local area, Tourism Noosa
                   has for the past for 20 years, professionally, transparently and strategically promoted
                   Noosa with great success. Visitor spend reached a record $1.2 billion in the months
                   before Covid) and as you are aware, Noosa recently won Queensland's Top Tourism
                   Town Award largely due to Tourism Noosa's submission. The actions that you
                   propose, without consultation, are unfair and could potentially damage the outstanding
                   work that Tourism Noosa had done over the years. I urge you to continue to work with
                   Tourism Noosa and maintain the current Tourism Levy structure and continue to fund
                   Tourism Noosa's operations. As ratepayers, we should continue to see the
                   transparency around how Tourism Levy funds are used, as we do in Tourism Noosa's
                   Annual Reports. With that protection removed, there is no guarantee that Council will
                   continue to use the funds for the purpose of tourism promotion.

                   Submission 10:
                   I strongly object to proposed changes to the Tourism Levy, as outlined in draft Budget
                   papers, and disagree with the statement that "Tourism promotion has evolved into core
                   Council business". Tourism promotion has sat with Tourism Noosa for 20 years, an
                   organisation that professionally, transparently and strategically promotes the
                   destination, with great success. Our increasing visitor spend (reaching a record $1.2
                   billion in the months before Covid) and the recent Queensland's Top Tourism Town
                   Award (Tourism Noosa's submission) are 2 recent examples. I urge you to maintain


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