Gold Coast might need marketing campaign to overcome crime reputation with tourists, says Mayor Tom Tate Alleged bikie gunman arrested on Gold Coast. Picture: Network Ten Source: News Limited THE Gold Coast is considering a new marketing campaign to try to overcome its crime-riddled reputation. In the wake of a crime wave including three brutal stabbings - one of them fatal - and a spate of bikie violence, Coast Mayor Tom Tate says a campaign might be needed to reassure tourists and locals. In the latest incident, a Bandidos bikie gang associate was stabbed to death in Broadbeach on Sunday morning as the school holidays began. The Queensland Police Union has described the Gold Coast as Australia's 'crime capital'. More bikie violence on Gold Coast Bikie link to Broadbeach murder Stabbing death caught on video Cr Tate said police figures showed long-term crime trends on the Glitter Strip were down but media reporting was damaging the Coast's image. "The spotlight is here and we don't have any more crime than anywhere else in Australia," he said. The statistics that have been given to me by the police prove that and the crime rate's very low. But any incident that's newsworthy, yes it will be highlighted, so what we've got to do is be proactive. Mayor Tate said his family and friends felt safe on the Gold Coast and he planned to talk to Gold Coast Tourism about a campaign to reassure the almost 12 million tourists who come to the holiday capital each year. We need to work harder to make sure the message is out there 'come and stay at the Gold Coast, you'll be fine'. "Come and enjoy the lifestyle, there's no worry about crime and things like that," he said. We walk on the beach early in the morning and late and night and we don't feel threatened one inch. I'm so relaxed living here and so are our family and so are friends. Let's get that message out to the rest of Australia. Responding to the latest crime wave, Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said crime on the Coast was down in many categories. Latest Queensland police figures show an 11 per cent jump in overall crime in the south eastern police region, which takes in the Gold Coast, Coomera and Logan police districts, against a statewide increase of 6 per cent. However, the Gold Coast police district itself - which includes the party precincts of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Coolangatta - recorded only a 1 per cent rise in overall crime. New figures are expected next month.