About Locals Discount
Locals Discount is all about locals supporting locals, and having a great time whilst doing so!
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With awesome deals from great businesses, locals discount is your opportunity to do new things without leaving your own backyard.
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For a local business, locals discount connects you to a market that offers repeat customers, referrals to friends and family, and an opportunity to increase turnover in non-peak times. By participating with locals discount you can concentrate on your core market, while locals discount builds your local business. To assist in creating a local offer, check out the top 10 things to consider.
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The Locals Discount Story
The Locals Discount story begins in the vibrant and rapidly evolving Cairns of the 1980s. It was a time of great change, marked by the opening of the international airport in 1984. International and domestic tourism was flourishing, and locals found themselves surrounded by a growing array of exciting tourist activities and facilities. This boom was supported by the efforts of tourism pioneers like the Woodward family, founders of the CaPTA Group in 1976. They helped build the foundation for nature-based attractions like the Rainforestation Nature Park. Prior to the 70s there was Fitzroy Island, whose resort developments began in the 1960s and Green Island, which established its first resort in the 1930s. Also opening in this decade was Hartley’s in 1934. Originally a teahouse for travellers and later becoming a famous crocodile farm and wildlife park.
The 1980s also saw the rise of adventure tourism, spearheaded by companies like RnR (standing for River n Rainforest) and Raging Thunder Adventures. These pioneers brought white-water rafting to the masses. Eco-tourism gained traction as visitors from around the world were drawn to the beauty of the reef and rainforest. The 1990s added even more iconic attractions, including the launch of Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in 1995, an engineering marvel that offers stunning views of the rainforest canopy, and the opening of the Cairns Casino in 1996, which added a new level of sophistication and entertainment to the city.
For my wife, who grew up in Cairns in the 80s and 90s, this was a time of mixing with visitors from all over the world, while enjoying life in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Cairns was not only about natural wonders—it offered a blend of day-time adventures in nature and vibrant night-time spots to unwind.
Part of that lifestyle was the warm welcome from the local tourism industry, which provided jobs, experiences, and, of course, the locals discount. Locals weren’t just part of the workforce—they were embraced by the tourism sector, with discounts making them feel valued.
After meeting my wife ‘to-be’ in SEQ I learned of the locals’ lifestyle in Cairns, having never visited there. When we subsequently visited Cairns in the late 90s, I was amazed by the experiences on offer. I soon found myself white water rafting on the Tully River, exploring the Tablelands, and diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
The locals discount concept struck me during this visit, though I didn’t qualify for it at the time. It wasn’t just about saving money—it represented something more. I loved the idea that locals were able to enjoy their own backyard encouraged by discounts from the tourism industry. The concept stayed with me, buying the domain name www.localsdiscount.com.au in the 2000s, moving to Cairns 2012 and experiencing FNQ as a local, and finally launching the site.
Locals Discount is about recognising the value of locals as customers and ambassadors. By promoting locals offers, residents and business build a better community. While Cairns will always be home to Locals Discount, our aim is to spread this concept and help locals and business benefit together.
Mark