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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Tourism body slams 'disgusting price gouging' for beef expo beds

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Rockhampton, set to host 2032 Olympic events, faces a severe accommodation shortage, impacting the upcoming Beef Australia expo.
  • Tourism bodies and expo organizers are exploring solutions like charter flights due to exorbitant accommodation prices, with some properties listed for $24,000 a week.
  • The city needs an estimated 1,200 short-term accommodation rooms by 2032, prompting calls for investment in new infrastructure.

Rockhampton, a regional Queensland city preparing to host events for the 2032 Olympic Games, is grappling with a critical accommodation shortage that is casting a shadow over its major industry events. The upcoming Beef Australia expo, the largest beef industry showcase in the Southern Hemisphere, is particularly affected, with organizers considering daily charter flights as a viable option due to scarce and costly lodging.

We are working with air charter operators to bring people down from Townsville, up from Toowoomba and in from Longreach just for day trips.

— Simon IrwinCEO of Beef Australia, explaining the necessity of charter flights due to accommodation scarcity.

Simon Irwin, CEO of Beef Australia, described the situation as dire, noting that chartering a plane is becoming a "reasonable option" for many attendees. This necessity arises from accommodation prices that have reached extreme levels. Some apartments and homes are being advertised for rent at staggering figures, with one property listed for $24,000 for the week of the expo.

Because now, chartering a plane due to the scarcity and the cost of accommodation is a quite reasonable option for a lot of people.

— Simon IrwinCEO of Beef Australia, highlighting the extreme measures being considered for event attendees.

Mary Carroll, CEO of Capricorn Enterprise, slammed the "price gouging" as "disgraceful," warning that it jeopardizes both the event and the region's reputation. While premium pricing during major events is expected, she stated that rates three times the normal cost are unacceptable. The region currently has 2,500 commercial rooms offering 4,600 beds, but an estimated 1,200 additional short-term rooms will be needed by 2032.

Price gouging of some accommodation properties for the event was disgraceful.

— Mary CarrollCEO of Capricorn Enterprise, criticizing the excessive accommodation prices.

Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams sees the 2032 Games as a significant "opportunity to invest," urging developers and hoteliers to capitalize on the consistent demand for rooms. Plans for a new Athlete Village at the Rockhampton Railyards are still in the early stages of planning and approvals, highlighting the urgent need for infrastructure development to accommodate both the expo and the influx of Olympic visitors.

[It's] jeopardising the event as well as the reputation of our city and greater region.

— Mary CarrollCEO of Capricorn Enterprise, on the negative impact of price gouging.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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