New tourism opportunities for Christmas Island

After a challenging decade where its hosting of an Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) has been the focus of attention, Christmas Island’s tourism industry is looking at new opportunities to develop its tourism industry.

With the IDC, which opened its doors in 2008, being scaled back to ‘hot contingency’ status as of this week, which means it will be closed to detainees, and only operational should the need arise, tourism operators on the tropical island hope this change will result in them being able to reignite interest on the island’s extraordinary natural wonders.

Lisa Preston, Chair of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, comments “our industry has had to endure many challenges during the past 10 years (so) it’s great to be able to finally start getting our positive messages out into our markets,

“We are now poised to start developing our island’s long-term vision for the future, which means embracing tourism and the new opportunities that it will bring for all.”

The closure of the IDC is especially welcome for several recent tourism developments on the island, including Swell Lodge, a luxury cabin perched atop a sea cliff that is attracting visitors from as far as Europe, and Extra Divers, a global diving conglomerate which recently opened its first Australian dive centre on the island.

National and international icons are lining up to sing the praises of the island’s stunning marine life (where visitors can swim, snorkel and scuba dive with whale sharks), glorious deserted beaches and wildlife that exists nowhere else on the planet.

Located 2600 kilometres north-west of Perth, the annual march of the island’s endemic red crabs has been described by celebrated naturalist Sir David Attenborough as “one of the most spectacular migrations on the planet.”

The tropical island is also marking its 60th anniversary as an Australian Territory.

For more information please visit www.christmas.net.au

Image: Christmas Island's red crab migration.