In conclusion you say:

< Because, at the end of the day, there’s no ‘industry’ in a wide expanse of sandy beach. There’s no ‘industry’ in a rainforest. The ‘industry’ bit of ‘tourism industry’ means businesses which employ people to take money off tourists who need places to stay, to shop, to eat and to be entertained and educated about the places they visit. Without that, we can have all the natural attractions in the world but still find our tourism industry struggling. >

This is terribly off-track, Ross. We have well and truly exploited our beaches and rainforests for tourism!

Crikey, how much more development would you want? And what new attractions could you possibly promote?

What would you achieve by putting a tourism development out there next to the beach in the middle of the Cooloola National Park that we haven’t already got on the Sunshine Coast or Fraser Island? Or in the rainforests in Wooroonooran NP that we haven’t already got around Cairns or Cape Tribulation?

I wouldn’t have a problem with the bit of very ecologically well executed development in national parks, if it had a significantly large appeal for visitors, good education value, and could provide funding for better management of the park. But I can’t see that, even if this sort of thing was done to the max, that it would reinvigorate Australian tourism.

Maybe it is time to realise that we’ve maxxed out our tourism industry and to just accept it as it is.

Here’s a suggestion Ross: nude beaches!

Very popular spots! And yet, in Queensland at least, they are technically illegal and completely omitted from tourist promotion literature and advertising!

This is just crazy!

There is an excellent nude beach at Noosa: Alexandria Bay, which is in the national park and forms part of one of the main walking tracks, which goes along the full length of the beach.

And yet, it is not even mentioned on the map of walking tracks that tourists are given, nor on any signs in the park, nor anywhere else!!

Similarly, the nude beach at Cairns is very well patronised while other beaches nearby are practically deserted. It is very easily accessed. It is right next to a popular overnighting spot for campervans. And yet the esteemed authorities wouldn’t be seen dead promoting such a thing!!

With good promotion, free beaches could really help increase tourism. Considerably more so than mountain-bike and horse-riding trails in national parks, I would think.

Wow. Did I kill off this thread or what ??