Queensland Government may offer 99-year leases on state land for tourism development Remember this ad? Queensland tourism with one of the best reminders of why people love the sunshine state. Vision: TQ MILLIONS of dollars' worth of blue-chip land parcels owned by the state government could be freed up for tourism development. The plan, unveiled at the DestinationQ tourism conference on the Gold Coast yesterday, would see developers offered 99-year leases for prime state-owned real estate from tropical islands to rainforest retreats. It would also see lease extensions granted to sites already home to tourism developments, such as Great Keppel Island. The proposal follows the announcement earlier this month to allow eco-tourism projects to proceed within Queensland's national parks. The State Government has established a government land asset management unit to manage the state's property portfolio with identifying land for potential tourism development to be given top priority. It is hoped the plan will spark a new wave of investment in the tourism industry. Premier Campbell Newman said the Government would not sell land to developers outright, but stressed the plan was very much "win-win." "We have ruled out granting freehold (to developers) because we believe these are precious natural resources and the ownership should be retained by all Queenslanders," he said. What this does is provide long-term security for multimillion-dollar investments. Initial leases would be granted for 50-year periods, with the option of a 49-year extension. In some cases, tourism operators already in business on state-owned land could have their leases extended indefinitely if they undertake "significant new development." The move is designed to entice companies to spend money on resorts and tourism ventures which have become tired or run-down. Mr Newman said the scheme would be particularly appealing to operators of Queensland island resorts. "Queensland island resorts have experienced difficulties being internationally competitive in recent years," he said. This new opportunity will allow operators to seize an opportunity to strengthen and grow their business in to the future. The plan could benefit tourism developments already operating on 29 Queensland islands from the Gold Coast to Cape York, as well as untapped islands and other land parcels throughout the state.