Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the industry’s thoughts were with the staff of Tjapukai following news that it would close.
“This will be a really difficult time for the staff both past and present who have made an enormous contribution to showcasing Indigenous tourism over the past 33 years,” he said.
“The closure of Tjapukai is a great loss to the tourism industry as it is a foundation product that set the benchmark for Indigenous cultural tourism experiences in Australia.”
TTNQ Chair Ken Chapman said it was a tough decision, but an understandable one with the uncertainty around international and domestic tourism.
“This demonstrates just how hard it is for businesses that are successful in the international market to continue trading.
“It also reinforces why tourism businesses need ongoing support to tackle the challenges ahead.”