Beef Australia 2003 will benefit the region’s tourism industry beyond the week in which the event was held according to Acting Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law in Rockhampton, Dr Les Killion.

Dr Killion, who is also an Associate Professor with the School of Marketing and Tourism, said events of such magnitude have the potential to generate a word of mouth campaign for the local tourism market if visitors are impressed with the region.

“ Events such as this are a way of any destination becoming known,” Dr Killion said.

Similar boosts followed the Sydney Olympics and Beef Australia 2000.

Dr Killion said the event also boosted tourism during the week it was held, generating more money and part-time jobs for the region.

“Visitors (for Beef Week) are having the multiplier effect of spending money on accommodation and meals while fresh tourist dollars circulate in the community,” he said.

He said while many of the Beef Week visitors have an interest in agriculture there can also be a diverse range of visitors who wish to see the Central Queensland area and by chance came during Beef Week.

The Expo was expected to bring around 50,000 visitors to the region and to generate more than $30 million for the local community.