Council has committed $60,000 over the next three years to support the Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival.
Gran Fondos are mass participation (generally non-competitive) cycling events that have gained in popularity in Australia and throughout the world in recent years.
The Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival is organised by Connect Sport, which has a strong history of producing cycling events and tours in the region, nationally and in Japan.
The inaugural PD Gran Fondo in 2022, attracted 2850 attendees, including 1,026 were participants.
The event attracted over 750 visitors from outside Cairns and Pot Douglas region and is estimated to have contributed $1.26 million to the Tropical North Queensland economy.
Connect Sport has committed to growing the festival, with over 1,800 participants expected to take part in this year's event, from 8 to 10 September.
While the main event hub will be in Port Douglas, elements of the festival will take place in Palm Cove including the start of the 'Medio Fondo' ride. The event is forecast to deliver an economic benefit of over $850,000 to Cairns.
The festival is scheduled to be held from 6 to 8 September in 2024, and 12 to 14 September 2025.
