The organisers of this year’s Schoolies Week have denied claims the Gold Coast will be overrun by interstate visitors.

Officials predict only a small rise in the number of revellers and say reports of record occupancy rates are off the mark.

Mike Tuckerman reports.

TRANSCRIPT

It’s that time of the year when graduating high school students put their studies behind them and head for the beach.

But reports that the Gold Coast will swamped by extra visitors from New South Wales and Victoria and simply wrong.

Matt Lloyd, CEO Book Schoolies.com: “There is, and for the past five or six years, a few New South Wales and Victorian students have been coming in week one. And that’s still the case this year, but it’s a very small percentage.”

Mr Lloyd says only a limited number of beds are available on the Gold Coast each year.

Matt Lloyd, CEO Book Schoolies.com: “Coming to the Gold Coast we’ve got about 24,000 students and that’s 12,000 in week one and 12,000 in week two.”

Volunteer groups who’ll be helping look after the schoolies says this year’s celebrations will be similar in scale to previous years.

Adam Ramsey, Red Frogs: “There’s been some media reports that have been blown out of proportion about Queensland and NSW schoolies falling on the same weeks. It’s actually not going to be that much bigger.”

Officials expect ten per cent more schoolies to arrive on the Gold Coast than last year, but say predictions of a State of Origin style accommodation war have been blown out of proportion.

While the Gold Coast faces increasing competition from interstate, members of the hotel industry are still happy to have school leavers arrive in droves.

Peter Nissen, Manager Paradise Towers: “I just wish everyone a very happy year and certainly a very safe schoolies spirit again.”

Schoolies Week celebrations will kick off in Queensland on November 19.

Mike Tuckerman, QUT News.