Famous faces invite Australian families back to play on the Gold Coast

Giaan Rooney

Gold Coast NRL great and reality television star Mat Rogers, along with homegrown Olympic gold medalist Giaan Rooney, are two of the famous faces who have penned personal postcard invitations inviting Australian families to come back and play, as the Gold Coast prepares to welcome back a host of interstate visitors from July 10.

Destination Gold Coast has rallied hundreds of iconic tourism operators and local personalities to handwrite 3,000 bespoke messages on postcards featuring the city's favourite hotspots and hidden gems, from Warner Bros. Movie World to the picturesque Tallebudgera Creek.

Thousands of families across Brisbane and Sydney will find a 'Wish You Were Here' postcard in their letterbox this week, designed to spark holiday nostalgia as the travel bug bites again. And for their southern counterparts, the activation inspires Melbournians to the day that they can come and play again.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said the Gold Coast was ready to welcome back travellers with open arms and remind families of all the reasons the city is Australia's favourite playground.

“This pandemic has changed us as a society, and what we truly value. It's seen a renaissance of quality family time, which is exactly why Australians choose to holiday on the Gold Coast,” Ms Battista said.

"We hope that, when families find these handwritten postcards in their mailboxes, they will reminisce about their past holiday experiences and childhood memories of the Gold Coast.

“By sharing heartfelt messages from our tourism operators, we wanted to give Aussies a taste of the incredible and unique experiences they can expect when they come back to play again.

“From our stunning beaches and beautiful rainforest scenery to our thriving café culture, playful experiences and friendly locals, sun-soaked fun awaits families year-round.”

The Gold Coast tourism sector is counting down to 10 July, as Queensland moves into stage three of eased coronavirus restrictions and welcoming back interstate visitors.

Last year, the Gold Coast drew a record 14.2 million visitors, but the COVID-19 travel ban halted the city's biggest economic driver in tourism, worth $6 billion per year.

Ms Battista said local tourism operators were rejoicing at the progress being made that has allowed for the highly-anticipated border reopening, having taken major losses over the last few months.

“With the imminent opening of Queensland's borders, we're looking forward to welcoming families back to Australia's favourite playground.

Mat Rogers

“Our operators have been working around the clock to meet COVID reopening guidelines to ensure our city is as safe as possible when holidaymakers return.

“As winter truly sets in across the southern states, on the Gold Coast the sun is shining, and we've never been more ready for families to come and play in our incredible backyard.”

Website: www.DestinationGoldCoast.com