SUNSHINE COAST EVENTS RECEIVE FUNDING SUPPORT TO DRIVE RECOVERY

The Sunshine Coast will receive $70,000 in funding to help local events and the region recover from the impacts of COVID19.

Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton said the latest round of the Queensland Destination Events Program (QDEP), administered by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), would support four Sunshine Coast events place from January 2022 through to January 2023.

“Events play a crucial role in the Sunshine Coast’s economic recovery, by attracting visitors to our region who spend and stay locally,” Mr Hunt said.

“The Palaszczuk Government recognises it’s been a challenging time for the tourism and events industry and the challenges presented by COVID-19 are ongoing.

“That’s why our economic recovery strategy includes supporting events through TEQ’s QDEP program, which also sees them profiled through the state’s It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.

Four Sunshine Coast events being funded under Round 19 of the QDEP include:

2022 Noosa Summer Swim Festival, 18-20 Feb - $20,000

Noosa Festival of Surfing, 5-13 March, $15,000

Izuzu Queensland Open, 6-13 March, $15,000

Jungle Love Festival, 20-22 May - $20,000

Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton said that investment in events backed Sunshine Coast businesses and jobs.

“We’ve managed the pandemic in Queensland to enable events like this to happen.

“These events are a great excuse for visitors to come and see the best of the Sunshine Coast – the most beautiful place in Australia.

“We hope to see traveller confidence and event attendance grow for these QDEP-supported events when they are staged from next year, as we continue on the journey of recovery,” Mr Skelton said.

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said Round 19 of the program, which had supported 431 events with more than $13.2 million in funding since 2015, would enable events of various shapes and sizes to take place, from sporting and participatory lifestyle events

to cultural, music and arts festivals.

“Five of the successful events will receive QDEP funding for the first time, including Moreton Bay Multisport Festival, Rockynats Car Festival, The Surf City Cup - Australasian Series football tournament, Cooly Classic Ocean Swim and the Junior State Cup North touch football event,” he said.

“Funding can be used by event organisers to cover marketing costs, planning, short-term specialised human resources and infrastructure hire.”

Applications for QDEP Round 20, for events staged between May 2022 and May 2023, are already open to event organisers and close on 6 October 2021.

Visit teq.queensland.com for more information.