Helping Queensland tourism weather the storm

Queensland tourism operators are to be trained to prepare for what is predicted to be the State's worst cyclone season in 40 years.

Forecasters have warned that tropical and sub-tropical regions in Queensland can to expect up to six cyclones this summer, a number not predicted since the 1970s.

Tourism Queensland is running workshops to help operators develop crisis management plans to ensure tourists and staff are safe.

The training will also help them reopen their operations as soon as possible after a big storm.

Queensland Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor stated yesterday that "Cabinet received advice this week from senior meteorologists that Queensland could be in for a wild, wet season (and) we want our operators to be as resilient as possible in the face of potential challenges to their livelihoods.

"Over the past year Queensland has experienced a number of natural and man- made severe events from tropical cyclone Ului to the coal ship Shen Neng 1 running aground.

"While events such as these are out of our hands, we can be proactive by being prepared, which is an important message to reiterate given the advice we have received this week from senior meteorologists.

Minister Lawlor said participants in the 'Weatherproof Your Business' workshops are taken step-by-step through incident response planning and, by the end of the workshops, had develop their own crisis management plan which they could take back to implement in their businesses, adding "the workshops help operators remain resilient, ensure that their customers and staff are safe and that they are open for business and welcoming visitors as quickly as possible once the event has passed."

In the past year 'Weatherproof your Business' workshops had been held in Townsville, Cairns, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Mackay, the Sunshine Coast, Yeppoon and Julia Creek.

Upcoming 'Weatherproof your Business' workshops are to be held at:

• Brisbane - 10th November
• Gold Coast - 12th November
• Fernvale - 16th November
• Roma - 23rd November
• St George - 24th November
• Townsville - 29th November
• Cairns - 30th November

For more information and to register, tourism operators should go to www.tq.com.au/weatherproofyourbusiness