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Gold Coast targets Mideast tourists

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Queensland is a surfers’ paradise

Tourism Queensland will appoint a representative in the Middle East  to encourage visitors from the emerging market.

Stopping in Abu Dhabi during her recent trade mission, Premier Anna Bligh said the representative would be in place for six months from November 2009, covering the peak selling period.

“I’ve held meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with both Emirates and Etihad Airlines, and in the wake of those meetings I have decided to act quickly to help both Queensland and the Middle East region grow this important tourism market,” said Bligh.

“This new role will help implement cooperative marketing activity during the peak selling period in the Middle East early next year to ensure maximum sales for Queensland from key nations such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.”

The number of Middle Eastern visitors to Queensland in the past financial year increased by 13 per cent.

Middle Eastern visitors to Australia contributed $580 million to the economy in the year to March 2009 and Queensland, home to the Great Barrier Reef and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, is particularly popular with visitors from the region.

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