Qld: Prince and entourage spend $5 million on Gold Coast

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2000
Qld: Prince and entourage spend $5 million on Gold Coast

BRISBANE, April 12 AAP - A Saudi Arabian prince and his entourage have spent a reported
$1 million a day on the Gold Coast during a five-day visit.

Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and an entourage of more than 60 arrived in Australia
by private jet on April 5, spending time in Sydney and Melbourne before jetting to the
Gold Coast last Friday.

According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Prince Salman booked the Presidential Suite and
the entire top floor of the exclusive Sheraton Mirage for an estimated $3 million.

A Sheraton Mirage spokeswoman refused to comment on the prince's visit.

The newspaper said the prince and his entourage also splurged another $2 million on
clothes, jewellery and other items during shopping sprees around the Gold Coast before
leaving today.

The prince, who has a share in the Saudi royal family's estimated personal fortune
of $33 billion, was in Queensland to attend trade talks with the state government.

Premier Peter Beattie told parliament today that Prince Salman was the governor of
Riyadh, the Saudi Arabia capital, and the brother of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

"This is the first time Queensland has received such a high- level delegation from
Saudi Arabia," Mr Beattie said.

"We explored opportunities for investment with Saudi Arabia, not just primary industries
but also education, sugar and arts, and the list goes on."

He said the prince stayed at the Gold Coast with an eight-member official party, including
his two sons as well as a delegation of 60 high-level representatives.

His visit also marked the city's increasing popularity as a tourist destination amongst
Middle East travellers.

Gold Coast Tourism Bureau international sales manager Bernie Cochrane said the number
of Middle East tourists to the city had been rising by about 50 per cent a year and currently
stood at 15,000.

"The Gold Coast is seen in the Middle East as a very trendy destination," Mr Cochrane said.

According to latest figures, about 38,000 tourist and business people from the Middle
East visited Australia last year.

Of that figure, the Gold Coast would get the lion's share of tourists who, on average,
would spend up to 20 nights in any one visit to Australia.

AAP ch/sc/lw

KEYWORD: PRINCE LEAD

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