Cairns update

Businesses in the Cairns region have every reason to be confident in the local economy. Significant projects and investments including the Ghassan Aboud Group Australia’s Crystalbrook Collection and the Mount Emerald Wind Farm have delivered an ongoing annual economic impact to our region of millions of dollars annually. Other factors driving our positive economy include Cairns Airport passenger movements, the growing agriculture sector and high business numbers, just to name a few.

Crystalbrook Collection is an Australian hotel brand currently constructing three new hotel developments, Riley, Bailey & Flynn, in the Cairns CBD valued at $370 million. It is anticipated that these developments will deliver an ongoing annual economic impact to our region of $900 million annually and 2,600 jobs across multiple industry sectors pre and post construction. Riley is set to open its doors to the public on 6 November 2018 and will feature 311 contemporary rooms and suites with urban, resort and sea views.

Local multi-disciplinary project management and construction firm, PRIME Group, has been involved with the Ghassan Aboud investment from the beginning. PRIME has handled all site identifications, acquisitions, feasibility studies, business modelling, design and construction. The Bailey & Flynn hotels will open mid-2019 and late-2019 respectively.

Another major project that is due for completion late-October is the Mount Emerald Wind Farm. The Mount Emerald Wind Farm is a $400 million project construction that began in February 2017, which has employed 350 workers during peak construction. Once completed, the project will produce 180MW and is expected to power approximately 75,000 homes.

Not only do we have a positive economic outlook with numerous projects and investments in the region – the tourism, agriculture and business sectors have also had significant growth over the past decade. Passenger movements through the Cairns Airport totalled 4,969,000 over the February 2017—February 2018 period with Cairns having 11 direct international links to cities in the Asia Pacific region. Chinese visitors to the Cairns region in 2017 was a massive 210,000 and following the launch of direct flights from Guangzhou (China) to Cairns in late 2017 via China Southern Airlines, this number can be expected to surge further adding to our local economy.

Agriculture in the Cairns region has been a growth sector in recent years with the gross value of fruit production at $670 million in 2016/17. Data collected in 2015/16 indicates Cairns is leading the agriculture sector in Northern Australia with a gross value of crops at $992 million followed by the Mackay region at $773 million.

With all the above positive economic activity, Cairns recorded the strongest residential population growth in Northern Australia of 286,599 in the 2016 census and a place of enumeration of 317,368. Cairns is also the leading region for registered businesses in Northern Australia at 22,305 in comparison to Townsville which has 16,661. 

Cairns is without a doubt open for business. The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is passionate about driving business success for its members via the development of a strong and resilient regional economy, the development of a constructive business environment, and by being the voice of business. Get involved – become a member of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce.

Visit cairnschamber.com.au or contact Alex Martins on 07 4031 1838 or businessdevelopment@cairnschamber.com.au.