Tourism body calls for accuracy in relation to latest cyclone forecasts
Shire weather
Far North Queensland is a big place, and those discussing approaching cyclones should keep that in mind so as not to cause any unnecessary impact on visitations, bookings and business confidence, Douglas Shire’s peak tourism body says.
The current Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Tropical Cyclone Maila states: “Maila is expected to move towards the Far North Queensland coast by the weekend, potentially crossing the coast over the weekend or early next week”.
But Tourism Port Douglas Daintree executive officer Emma Tunnock said today the use of terms such as “Far North Queensland” in cyclone warnings and reports can affect the livelihood of a wide range of people and businesses.
“(It’s) worth noting the geographic scale of FNQ,” she said.
“Distances are significant, and impacts in one area do not necessarily translate to others.
“For context, Port Douglas to Coen is comparable to Melbourne to Canberra.”
“This type of framing can and does lead to immediate cancellations and disruption to forward bookings,” she said.
She said forecasts were “still evolving” and there were “no warnings in place for our region” in relation to cyclone Maila yet.
