Townsville's 'Mates Rates' campaign, an initiative aimed at boosting local tourism, has sold out within three days of its launch.

The campaign, which offered 50% off Townsville tourism experiences, was launched to support recovery efforts post-Cyclone Kirrily and to assist struggling tourism businesses in the region. The initiative was a joint effort by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Townsville Enterprise Limited.

The tourism body said the campaign's rapid sell-out is a testament to the high demand for local tourism experiences and the community's eagerness to support local businesses. The 'Mates Rates' campaign was designed to drive visitors to the region and provide a much-needed boost to local businesses that have been hit hard by the aftermath of Cyclone Kirrily.

Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals and Member for Townsville, Scott Stewart, expressed his gratitude to the local community.

"Thank you to Townsville people for supporting local businesses with such enthusiasm, a fast sell-out is an excellent outcome for businesses across the region. It is great that we've been able to set up a flow of visitors for the region to help businesses through to the next school holiday period and beyond."

Member for Mundingburra, Les Walker, echoed this sentiment, saying, "A sell out this quickly is heart-warming to see for our local businesses who are doing it tough."

Minister for Tourism, Michael Healy, highlighted the swift response to provide support. "We've responded very quickly to provide support and help businesses attract visitors as they go through this tough time," he said. "The strong demand for Townsville experiences through the Mates Rates campaign is a win for both businesses as well as locals."

TEQ CEO Patricia O'Callaghan, praised the campaign, saying, "Mates Rates has been a great opportunity for Townsvillians to grab a great deal to get out and explore their own backyard while also supporting local businesses."

"Absolutely thrilled with being able to sell out this campaign offer in just under 72 hours, with thousands of mates supporting their tourism mates in North Queensland," Claudia Brumme-Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Townsville Enterprise, added. "Whilst we were hoping to see this kind of result, we were blown away at the mateship shown through this campaign. Campaigns such as this go to show that when we advocate with our business community for practical solutions, we know we can be successful as a region."

The campaign's success has provided a much-needed boost to local businesses, said Clare Ley, Owner/operator of Pilgrim Magnetic Island.

"After enduring weeks with only one or two bookings per week, the Mates Rates Campaign has given us a much-needed boost," she said.

Despite the 'Mates Rates' campaign selling out, locals who missed out can still avail of the more than 500 'Unmissable Deals' available on Queensland.com.