AUSTRALIA: Sharks Scare Chinese Tourists

FEAR of being mauled by a shark is scaring Chinese and American tourists away from Gold Coast beaches.

This is despite the Gold Coast not having had a fatal attack since 1962.

Following a series of surfer deaths and maulings at far north NSW beaches south of the Coast last year, a survey has shown the international repercussions are costing millions of dollars.

The study of more than 500 tourists interested in travelling to Australia from our biggest international markets — China, New Zealand, the US, UK and Japan — found a fear of sharks was keeping many away.

Although there have been no deaths this year, shark activity in northern NSW has spiked in the past week, with surfers knocked from their boards, swimmers scared from the water and multiple detections of great whites cruising off popular beaches.

The survey, by Hiresquare. com.au, found Chinese tourists — one of the Gold Coast’s biggest tourism cash cows — were the most scared, with 23 per cent seriously doubting having an Australian holiday.

Of the total 512 people surveyed, 42 per cent (215) were aware of the shark attacks, with 14 per cent saying they had been turned off travelling to Australia, or were seriously doubting a visit. Families with children were more likely (17 per cent) to stay home.

Last year, a series of attacks killed surfer Tadashi Nakahara and maimed boardriders Mathew Lee and Sam Morgan at Ballina, less than an hour-and- a-half drive south of the Coast.

North Coast Destination boss Belinda Novicky said she did not believe the shark attacks put a serious dent in northern NSW tourism. “There are so many offerings in the region,” she said, adding tourists were more interested in eating, rather than being eaten by, local seafood.

“Especially for the Asian market, fresh local produce is massive,” she said.

Ms Novicky said the attacks only hurt businesses directly involved in surfing.

The Ballina attacks devastated mayor David Wright but he said he was thanking his lucky stars for a housing boom after recent highway upgrades.

“We’ve got people coming out our ears,” Cr Wright said.

“More people are coming here but there’s still not a lot of people in the water,” he said.

“(The shark attacks) haven’t affected us too much but it will improve.”

Cr Wright said controversial shark barriers being trialled at beaches off Ballina and nearby Lennox Head might help the area’s reputation.