Living on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, as I do, is an amazing experience, so it is not surprising that this incredible region, which stretches from Caloundra to Noosa and in particular Noosa, has been the top holiday pick for Aussies, who are currently confined to Australia.
So, as the Visit Sunshine Coast office is just down the road I thought this would be a great opportunity to have a chat with former CEO of Tourism Fiji, but now relatively newly appointed CEO of Visit Sunshine Coast, Matt Stoeckel, [pictured], with the overall theme of our chat being. “How is the Sunshine Coast doing as COVID hopefully fades away?
My questions to Matt also included: –
- Fiji and the Sunshine Coast are very different – what are the key differences you have identified since being here and how is your experience in Fiji and elsewhere helping you here on the Sunshine Coast?
- How has COVID affected the Sunshine Coast? Have JobSeeker and JobKeeper had an impact on the industry on the Sunshine Coast and what about going forward.
- Has the Federal Government’s 50% flight programme been good for across the Sunshine Coast from Caloundra to Noosa?
- While the airlines have clearly done very well out of the programme, is the benefit trickling down to the SME’s that operate in tourism across the Coast?
- How did the Brisbane lockdowns impact on the Sunshine Coast?
- It appears that the Sunshine Coast or at least Noosa was fully booked over Christmas and New Year and January, but what about now and going forward?
- Was there any impact on accommodation prices charged to visitors?
- How important is the Sunshine Coast Airport to the Sunshine Coast and tourism?
- The council has said that the new airport runway and the other improvements are partly targeted to attract international flights. Do you think they will happen and if so by when? When will the new terminal be ready?
- What marketing activities have you been running recently?
- How do businesses on the Coast take part in your marketing and promotional activities?
- With Noosa very much the jewel in the tourist crown of the coast does your marketing include Noosa?; and
- What are your plans and your vision for the future?
Many of these questions and a CEO’s answers could be highly applicable to any region, but to hear what Matt had to tell me about the Sunshine Coast, clearly a top Australian destination, please click on the video below.
A special interview with Matt Stoeckel , CEO Visit Sunshine Coast, by John Alwyn-Jones,. Special Correspondent and Presenter & Producer, Global Travel Media TV
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