Club Med Lindeman Island Resort

Club Med’s Lindeman Island is the seventh Queensland island resort to close in the past few years as the industry now calls out for Federal Government assistance.

Despite publicity campaigns such as the best job in the world, Oprah Winfrey’s visit to Whitehaven Beach and the millions of dollars that were pumped into marketing Queensland tourism after the floods and Cyclone Yasi, only a small recovery was felt over Christmas for Queensland Tourism.

Bedarra Island and Dunk Island resorts were forced to close after damage by Cyclone Yasi was too much.  South Stradbroke Island’s Couran Cove, Hayman Island, Palm Bay on Long Island, Great Keppel Island and Brampton Island have all fallen to the financial curse of island resorts, with Lindeman Island is the latest island resort to close its doors.

"Island resorts are hard to make a profit out of because of the additional costs of having to barge all your products, guests and a percentage of staff.  It makes the operating costs a lot more expensive," Tourism and Transport Federation chief executive John Lee said.

According to the industry, an estimated 3500 tourism jobs were lost in Queensland last year.

Queensland Tourism Minister Jan Jarratt said 2011 was a tough year right across the tourism sector, not just island resorts.

"Each of these island operators have experienced different challenges, they have not all been impacted by a single or common factor.  While natural disasters have had an effect on Queensland's tourism industry there is no doubt the industry is fighting back," she said.

Ms Jarratt continued by saying Hayman Island has just completed a multi-million dollar refurbishment and looks better than ever, while Hamilton Island and Daydream are on the rebound also.