Noosa Council set a special meeting on Thursday to decide its future partnership with Tourism Noosa and funding deed with recommendations from staff to reduce its current funding to $2million in a new one year agreement to be developed with Tourism Noosa.
The current funding agreement of $2.52million annually expires on 30 June 2025 and a report prepared by council takes into account the continued partnership and council’s progress of its Destination Management Plan.
The report acknowledges:
“Tourism Noosa (TN) and Noosa Shire Council (NSC) have a long-term partnership in advancing the Tourism Industry to positively benefit the Noosa Community and the region’s economy. While significant visitor numbers at peak times and a sense of over-tourism have led to community concerns, Noosa Council continues to seek a balanced response to these issues – a response that prioritises community liveability and residents whilst supporting our business community and tourism industry which economically supports many local families and individuals. This is a fine balance and Council is proactively working to manage these issues through various initiatives including the development of a Destination Management Plan (DMP). Together with Noosa’s tourism industry and Noosa Council, Tourism Noosa has consistently delivered and maintained Noosa’s high brand equity both domestically and in international markets. Tourism has consistently been in the top three most valuable sectors to Noosa for well over a decade – in 2025 employing 4900 people. In FY23/24 visitors contributed approximately $1 billion to Noosa’s economy (comprising $605M in local output (72 per cent) and around 28 per cent made up of other components such as taxes and imports). This is around 25 per cent of overall gross regional product (GRP).”
The 2023 Deed included a range of performance outcomes and objectives for TN which Council said were largely achieved and included completion of a four-year strategic plan, increased stakeholder collaboration and Sunshine Coast airport collaboration.
Objectives identified as not achieved included a reduced dependency on Noosa Council funding and a delay of actions of the DMP which were not achievable as council had not completed the DMP.
The report also found there was duplication and inefficiencies between TN and Council in the funding and management of events.
Council staff recommend the new one-year finding agreement with TN would enable the development of a roadmap to advance alternative funding sources for TN, ensure TN continues to operate as a contemporary and flexible tourism organisation responding to global economic and tourism trends and allow time for the completion of the DMP.
The agreement also includes the transition of sponsorship and management of tourism events back to council.
Council’s Special Meeting will be held at 2.30pm on Thursday 8 May.
