Beenleigh is Queensland's newest tourism hot spot Beenleigh Rum Distillery. Beenleigh is Queenslands newest tourism hot spot. QUEENSLAND has a new tourism hot spot - and there's not a beach, reef, waterfall or five-star resort in sight. Wedged between Logan, Ipswich and the Gold Coast, Beenleigh has suddenly emerged as Queensland tourism's star on the rise. Yep, that southeast Queensland town famous, for, well, not much really, was the biggest mover in a list of the state's tourism hot spots compiled by leading travel company Wotif.com. Poppy's Chocolates's Lynda Bos. The store is listed as Beenleigh's top attraction. Accommodation bookings jumped an incredible 72 per cent in 2013, in a place which lists parks, churches and proximity to Ikea on its list of tourism highlights. In the same time, occupancy in the Brisbane CBD increased just two per cent while the Gold Coast hinterland rose four per cent. Beenleigh is part of Logan City Council, which last year launched its own tourism office. Logan Mayor Pam Parker said many people had scoffed at plans for the region to boost its tourism industry, but the new findings were proof it was actually working. "I understand people sniggering about Beenleigh and tourism in the same sentence, but we are still in our infancy," she said. Beenleigh is close to the only Ikea in Queensland.. We're not saying we're Brisbane or the Gold Coast. We're taking baby steps, but soon we will be taking giant steps. We have 140,000 cars driving straight past us every day and that is enormous potential to tap in to. It's all about location, location, location. Wotif.com product director Donna Rodios said Beenleigh's position between Brisbane and the Gold Coast made it popular with holiday-makers. "Beenleigh offers an opportunity to explore places like Redlands, Mt Tamborine and the Scenic Rim," she said. The theme parks and a host of wineries are also nearby, which makes it an ideal option for either a family holiday or a couples getaway. Susie Pepperell has run Albert River Bed and Breakfast for five years and said she had definitely noticed an upswing in visitor numbers. "It's such a great location," she said. We're closer to most of the theme parks than the hotels in Surfers Paradise and it's not too far to Brisbane either. Brisbane's Robyn Jeffery is one of those discovering the appeal of the region. "It's a good stopover point between Brisbane and the Gold Coast," she said. Logan City Council is developing a major tourism area, which will house the relocated Alma Park Zoo, while the famous Beenleigh Distillery is undergoing a multimillion-dollar redevelopment with tours expected to start later this year. Poppy's chocolate Top class parks Beenleigh historical village and museum Close to the only Ikea in Queensland Art gallery Temples of worship Some of the best mountain bike tracks in southeast Queensland Close to Gold Coast theme parks Near Kingston Park Raceway and bungy jumping Weekend farmers' markets and strawberry farms from Visit Logan