A warm welcome to our beautiful winter weather and also a warm welcome to our southern visitors and those across 'the ditch' who likewise enjoy a winter break in the sun!  This time of year is the beginning of the whale migration season so keep an eye out as those magnificent leviathans of the ocean cruise past.  You may even be fortunate enough to spot a mother with her bub!  For those who brave the early mornings I can share with you that the sunrises are truly magnif...

Congratulations to all competitors and thank you to the hard working volunteers involved with the Commonwealth Games.  The much talked about traffic snarls and headaches, mooted loudly by Mr Beattie, fortunately did not occur, however the other side of the coin was the significant decrease in general holiday takings for our local businesses who had stocked up and hired extra staff to cater for the expected high demand.  Although most disappointing for local businesses it was none...

The Federal Government's 2018-19 Federal Budget offers a mixed bag for Gold Coast businesses according to the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce. Chamber president Martin Hall said the extension of the immediate $20,000 asset write-off for capital purchases was a strong incentive for small businesses to invest in assets for the future of the business. Mr Hall said the personal tax cuts, while small, would help improve consumer confidence but the Chamber was disappointed the Feder...

OVERALL
The Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce is very supportive of the Commonwealth Games. However, as forecast, across the Gold Coast there have been some big winners and some others who are being left disappointed.

This has been the case at previous Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games. Based on previous Games, including London and Glasgow, some businesses will not perform as well as they might hope. This is because regular customers may want to avoid the crowds, people are ...

The Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce is urging locals to hit the streets to soak up the Commonwealth Games experience. Chamber president Martin Hall said after more than a year of being warned of traffic chaos during the Games, residents were staying home droves. "We are encouraging residents to ignore all the warnings about traffic chaos and get out to enjoy all the delights of the Games,'' said Mr Hall. "Businesses across the board are reporting quieter than...

After years of planning, the Commonwealth Games are finally here. The Gold Coast is truly in the centre of global attention for the next 10 days. And despite a few hiccups (I won't mention incorrect dates on tickets and blunders in the programs) and some indifferent weather, the Gold Coast is already shining. The Opening Ceremony last night was sensational and made me proud to call the Gold Coast home. The Chamber expects the impact of the Commonwealth Games for businesses acro...