15 May 2013
Words Tim Admin

Time to Think BIG!

I’ve just been reminded of something Donald Trump said: “If you’re going to be thinking, you may as well think big.” It occurs to me that ‘thinking big’ and ‘big thinkers’ are the common themes running through this edition of The Informer. Our cover story, arising from my inclusion in a government-led trade mission to China, looks at the biggest tourism and business market to ever present itself to Australia. You can’t get any bigger than China! We need to expand our thinking, scale up our tourism infrastructure and make a ‘big’ effort to maximise the potential of this enormous market. I’m convinced it will reignite key tourism centres, particularly Far North Queensland and the Gold Coast. An imminent change to our visa system is also set to spark a surge of foreign investment in the $5-10 million range, particularly from China. And it will come at a time when this market is already firing up. Resort Brokers is increasingly active in this bracket. We’ve just sold some bigger properties including Brisbane’s prime airport motel, Pegasus Motor Inn, for $9.5m, the Mercure Maitland in the Hunter Valley for $9.2m, and CBD Executive Apartments in Rockhampton for $6.8m. Large properties just listed with us include the ‘Raffles of the North’, The Hotel Cairns, for $10.5m, Bowen’s Port Dennison Motor Inn for $6.4m, the Barkly Homestead on the Queensland – NT border for $6.5, and a 53-room Muswellbrook motel project for $10.4m. Big things are also happening in the management rights market. Recently settled was the sale of Sailfish Cove on the Gold Coast, by Glenn Millar and Alex Cook. And we have a few more under contract... You’ll read more inside about the positive outlook for management rights as we continue our series on the growth of this vital industry. Resort Brokers is scaling up our specialist management rights division in preparation for big things. A new agent has joined us on the Gold Coast, in response to rising enquiry, and we welcome David Janett, from a management rights background, to look after the southside of Brisbane. A fantastic new Informer feature is our series on the many faces of the accommodation industry. In this issue, we profile one of the biggest names in Top End tourism, Foxy Robinson – a great bloke whose working class origins didn’t stop him from doing big things and making big money. Finally, having negotiated nearly 40 years in this industry, through three major booms and busts, I’m always asked the big question: ‘where are we in the current cycle’. I reckon buyers are now itching to make their move, as the climb upward begins. You’ll find a great article by Alex Cook on page 24 looking at what is motivating buyers. As the upswing comes, Resort Brokers has launched a unique incentive package for vendors who list with us exclusively. Offering valuable marketing bonuses, it underlines our commitment to work with you in a partnership. Resort Brokers backs sellers with skin in the game. Remember, we’re not ‘listing agents’. We are selling agents. Please send your feedback to: carlacook@resortbrokers.com.au or PO Box 5004, West End Q 4101.