February is always a busy month, and even more so this year with the Lord Howe Island Festival happening – including Discovery Day, which was held on the 16th of February.

An extra highlight was a visit by the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency, Margaret Beasley, and her husband, Mr Denis Wilson. The Lord Howe Festival was made possible by funding from a NSW Government Community Grant – and with the support of so many local people and community organisations. We hope it will continue next year.

The tourist incentive to visit Lord Howe continues to be high with many visitors struggling to find seats on QantasLink and Eastern flights or accommodation on the Island.

Lord Howe has been listed on the traveller.com.au as one of the 25 hottest destinations of 2023 in the world if you want to avoid the crowds.

No doubt, the busy 2022/23 season will take its toll on tour operators and accommodation proprietors, and many will choose to close for a good winter break as the season winds down in May. This will mean a quiet Island over the winter months, and visitors will need to be forewarned about the lack of tours and restaurants.

Covid is still around on Lord Howe and in Australia, so it is wise to take precautions if you have any underlying conditions.

Finally, the funding cut to the Tourism Association by the Board is disappointing. We hope the Board will reconsider its position. Where in the world can you find a World Heritage site not supported by the government in tourism.

This article appeared in The Lord Howe Island Signal, 28 February 2023.