The annual Mon Repos turtle season encounters will open for visitors on 6 November 2020 with bookings available from 12 October.
The announcement comes after last year’s turtle encounters ended prematurely due to COVID-19 and bushfires.
COVID-19 restrictions will be implemented to ensure safety.
“For the safety of visitors, locals and staff in line with the park’s COVID plan, visitor numbers have been reduced for the Turtle Centre and Turtle Encounter tours,” the Government’s announcement said.
“Nightly visitor numbers will be restricted to 70 people with a maximum of 14 people per tour group (excluding school groups).
“We are continually working with the Department of Environment and Science, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and will continue to keep industry updated on this year’s turtle season.”
Bundaberg Tourism chief executive Katherine Reid said the Mon Repos Turtle Encounter is a hero experience which attracts visitors over summer.
“As the exclusive ticketing provider for the Encounter for many years, Bundaberg Tourism delivers a comprehensive destination marketing campaign to maximise the Encounter’s visitors, drive visitor dispersal and encourage increased length of stay and overnight visitor expenditure,” she said.
“The 2019-20 season saw the launch of the new Mon Repos Turtle Centre. The encounter was at 79 per cent capacity, with over 26,000 people attending, and had an estimated regional impact of $9.5 million.”
“The season was impacted by the summer’s bushfires events and then COVID-19, with more than 3000 fewer guests attending.”
Ms Reid said 80 per cent of last year’s visitors came from within Queensland.
“The second largest market was from Bundaberg (16.7 per cent), then nearly 11 per cent from overseas and 9 per cent from interstate,” she said.
Mon Repos is home to the largest turtle rookery on the Australian east coast.
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