I’ve served on Noosa’s Destination Management Plan (DMP) External Reference Group for the past three years, and while many bold ideas have been tabled, one of the most important and practical recommendations in my opinion is the introduction of a visitor levy on overnight stays.
This is not about anti-tourism sentiment, far from it. Tourism has shaped Noosa, supported our businesses, and helped put us on the global map. But for too long, we’ve ignored a fundamental truth: tourism doesn’t pay for itself.
The Case for Contribution
Each year, over 1.1 million overnight visitors spend more than 5 million nights in our region, enjoying our beaches, trails, roads, and parks. And while local ratepayers shoulder the rising cost of maintenance and upgrades, visitors currently contribute nothing directly to those assets.
If Queensland allowed local governments to introduce a visitor levy, even at modest levels, Noosa could unlock serious infrastructure funding:
$10 per overnight visitor = ~$11.3 million annually
$3 per visitor night = ~$15.2 million annually
That funding could be transformational, not just for tourism, but for the entire community.
A Clear, Accountable Framework
If this levy is to succeed, accountability and transparency must be legislated from day one. This is not a blank cheque for future councils to repurpose as they wish. It must be treated as a protected revenue stream, ring-fenced and itemised not folded into general rates.
Personally I believe the levy should be mandated with the following allocation:
25 per cent to Tourism Noosa, to continue marketing the region, managing the visitor brand, and educating tourists in line with Noosa’s regenerative values.
75 per cent to infrastructure, divided equally between:
Beach and coastal assets – including foreshore protection, transport, dune management, and amenity upgrades.
Hinterland and inland assets – including walking trails, town improvements, signage, cultural infrastructure, and nature-based tourism initiatives.
This ensures that both visitor hot spots and local communities benefit, from Peregian to Pomona, Sunshine Beach to Kin Kin.
What’s Holding Us Back?
Right now, Queensland law does not allow councils to levy such a fee. I believe asking the State Government to follow the lead of Victoria which passed its own visitor levy legislation in 2023 and provide Noosa with enabling legislation to pilot this initiative.
We’re not asking for a tax.
We’re asking for permission to fund what tourism uses.
This is about fairness, sustainability, and common sense.
A Fair Deal for Future Noosa
The community has been clear: we want to protect what makes Noosa special. We want better transport, cleaner waterways, safer paths, and more housing options for locals. But all of this requires funding, and it’s time that visitors contribute meaningfully.
A levy would not make Noosa less welcoming. It would make us more resilient. And it would ensure that tourism gives back more than it takes.
We owe it to the generations to come.
