CAMPING in Mount Isa is set for a shake-up with a growing number of Australians choosing to hit the road when visiting the North West.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Recent data by Tourism Research Australia revealed the drive tourism market accounts for about 67 per cent of the overnight leisure market in Queensland with more than 10.3 million visitors participating in touring during their visit to Queensland.
Chamber of commerce manager Joyce McCulloch will attend a seminar at the Red Earth Hotel, along with other tourism organisations, to develop a Camping Options Guideline for Local Government strategy.
Mrs McCulloch said too many grey nomads and travellers were opting to stay outside of the city rather than using the camping areas in town.
``Between Mount Isa and Cloncurry there is a big camping area being utilised more and more and between Mount Isa and Camooweal there's also a spot used more and more by travellers,'' she said.
``We want them in the city spending money and creating revenue.''
Mrs McCulloch said the seminar would give Mount Isa an insight into how other local governments dealt with similar camping issues in their area.
``With Mount Isa it's asking where people camp when there is no room in our caravan parks, and if there is room in caravan parks and campers are still camping outside of Mount Isa, how do we manage that,'' she said.
``It (increased camping) will have huge benefits for the town.
If you're giving them the right service and products they'll spend money, if given the opportunity.'' State Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey said promoting camping options was a key issue raised by local government during the development of the Queensland Drive Tourism Strategy 2013-15.
``The growing popularity of caravanning and camping across Queensland had seen huge numbers of people moving around our state,'' she said.
``We need to ensure appropriate camping options are available to maximise the benefits to tourists, caravan park operators, local governments and the wider business community.''