Battered Queensland Tourism

News about local conditions would help tourists. Things seem to be so thoroughly jacked right now that even the locals are functioning in ignorance about local conditions. But when all else fails, there is always the Gold Coast!:

"We depend on backpackers, yes, they are scared, they don't want to go to Fraser Island or the Whitsundays, or the Gold Coast, they are afraid of being stuck on the road," explains Lindsey Frazer of backpacker specialist Wicked Travel.

At the Cloud 9 hotel, which caters to backpackers, guest numbers are down.

"We were pretty much full at the start of the flooding," says receptionist Andrew Josey. "But people have been scared of the lack of electricity."

...The floods come as the Australian government attempts to lure foreign visitors to its shores via a deal with US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey who is devoting four episodes of her show to her December Down Under tour.

...Officials called it a priceless opportunity to showcase the nation to the world and the Australia shows -- which feature Winfrey visiting iconic tourist sites such as the monolithic red rock Uluru -- are set to air in the US this month.

..."You have two major visions of Australia hitting television and plasma screens across the world. In 140 markets they will be seeing Oprah with Australia an idyllic setting. But then on the news they will see flooding."

The floods also coincide with a strong Australian currency and a unseasonably wet 2010 which deterred many domestic travellers from Queensland.

Lee said the high currency meant Australians were also travelling overseas at record levels. "That, combined with the weather, is going to have real impacts on the tourism industry this year," he told AFP.