North Queensland Losing $7 Million Each Day Due to Border Closure

A domestic-led recovery is possible for the tourism industry if state borders reopen

Queensland’s Wet Tropics Skyrail is one way to see wilderness areas but at a cost to wilderness quality. Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Australia’s domestic tourism industry is suffering unnecessarily due to blanket state border closures, with North Queensland currently losing $7 million per day from domestic travellers.

Queensland’s border is closed during Tropical North Queensland’s peak season. As a result, the region is facing significant job losses of around 11,700 in 2020, with an estimated 7,500 jobs currently being supported only by JobKeeper.