Visitors from around the world are still arriving in far north Queensland, undeterred by the devastating impact of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
However, a tourism recovery package is to be unveiled for the region on Jan.5 as authorities count the cost of record flooding and rainfall.
The far north lost more than $270 million worth of visitor bookings due to cancellations after Jasper left a trail of destruction, according to the state government.
But many remain unfazed, with the Reef Magic boat cruise from Cairns almost full with international tourists this week.
Lisa and Bob Cressman, from New Jersey, said they had planned their journey across Australia’s Top End four months in advance and did not want to cancel.
“Things have changed along the way on our trip but we just go with the flow ... there was a change in one of our flights but that was all,” Mrs. Cressman told AAP.
They also want to support people in far north Queensland and help keep the economy going.
Another couple on the Great Barrier Reef cruise, Nicola and Martin Sleet from Essex in the UK, had only seen small disruptions to their plans after the cyclone.
“The only thing it has caused is we were due to go to a crocodile farm and they emailed to say they were closed but other than that, so far so good,” Martin Sleet said.
The couple came to Australia to visit family in Melbourne and had already booked an additional trip to Queensland before arriving.
“We saw some stuff on the news but we decided that unless we heard anything different we would continue,” Mr. Sleet said.
Far north tourism is still in need of a boost, with premier Steven Miles in Cairns to announce a financial recovery package on Friday morning.
His deputy, Cameron Dick, visited the region this week, witnessing firsthand the damage to roads and the rail network, including the popular Kuranda line near Cairns.
“That runs 300,000 people a year ... there are 61 landslips on that rail line and so they all have to be cleared,” he said.
“Some of them are very close to sheer drops. And that’s the same with the road network.”
Mr. Dick has yet to put a figure on the cyclone’s impact on the economy.
“It'll be a lot of money, I think it’s fair to say,” he told reporters.
However, he insisted the region was “open for business.”
“Our hotels are open, our restaurants are open ... our airports are open,” he said.
“So we welcome tourists and visitors to the far north.”
