Accor has boosted its presence on the Sunshine Coast, announcing the opening of the Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters, located in the Lake Kawana estate north of Brisbane.
The 81-suite, four-storey waterfront property has been rebranded from Best Western and was built in 2015 as part of a $5 billion Stockland masterplan. Guest facilities include a restaurant and bar, car parking and two flexible meeting and function rooms.
The rebrand comes amid growth statistics which show the Sunshine Coast region is set for an explosion in population, with resident numbers expected to swell from 350,000 currently to more than 500,000 by 2031. The region welcomed 3.8 million holiday visitors in the financial year ending 30 June 2018, recording a 1.8% jump in domestic visitation and an 8.5% jump in international arrivals – higher than the Queensland average.
Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Simon McGrath, said the new Mercure was a strategic and welcome addition to the group’s network.
“Such positive visitation growth figures are buoyed by significant tourism investment and major infrastructure projects which will elevate the destination, including construction of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of Maroochydore CBD, expansion of the Sunshine Coast International Airport to bring it up to a global standard, in addition to another runway which will increase air capacity.”