He might be planning to build Titanic II but mining magnate Clive Palmer has hit a few icebergs as he tries to navigate Australia’s tourism industry.
More than 350 inbound tourism operators and industry leaders from around the country are on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast today for the 35th Australian Tourism Export Council Symposium.
Mr Palmer won’t be attending, even though the event is being held at his newly-acquired Coolum resort and spa and he was due to have delivered the keynote address.
He ditched the engagement with just a few days notice to fly to the United States, and his abrupt cancellation has been met with disapproval.
David Lindsay, from the University of Canberra’s tourism faculty, said many of the delegates he had spoken to were disappointed by Mr Palmer’s no show.
"I thought his withdrawal was a little rude," he said.
Industry leaders had expected Mr Palmer to deliver a coherent and balanced statement on his vision for Australian tourism at the symposium.
"His bio said he’s spent a lot of money in the tourism industry in Queensland and I was interested in his forecasts and projections and just what his strategy was going to be,’’ Mr Lindsay said.
The billionaire has floated plans to turn the Coolum resort into Queensland’s finest casino, and the local air strip into an international airport so he can bring in high-flying Chinese gamblers.
He has also established a new company, Blue Star Line, to work with a state-owned Chinese company to build a fleet of luxury ocean liners, including a proposed Titanic II.
The ATEC delegates won’t be left without a keynote address though; federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson has stepped up to take the helm.
AAP
