The world-class Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes golf courses opened last year.

King Island mayor Duncan McFie said the opening of the courses had had a knock-on effect to the rest of the island.

Cr McFie said there were about 500 beds of accommodation in various stages of development for the island, spanning seven to eight different developments.

“This is the most significant amount of development that the island has seen in a long time,” he said.

He said work on a 60-odd bed resort was beginning, after it gained approval 18 months ago.

An eight-unit eco development and a 32-bed project are among other projects in the works.

Cr McFie said the island’s biggest problem now was finding accommodation for staff.

“Our number one priority is new accommodation for staff on the island, who are going to be working at these places,” he said.

“It’s not a bad problem to have.”

Cr McFie said the island’s accommodation was all but fully booked for weekends into the foreseeable future, and flights to and from the island were also selling out quickly.

There are seven flights that service the island on a daily basis, plus charter planes, he said.

“Without question, the golf has been the catalyst for all the interest in the place,” he said.

Cape Wickham opened its on-site accommodation on December 1, with 10 of its 16 rooms occupied.

Course general manager Debbie Fisher said bookings had been flowing thick and fast since the accommodation was announced.

She has taken 5000 bookings for the space of four months.

“In February and March, I could have booked some of those night three or four times over,” Ms Fisher said.

“I’ve had some of these bookings for four or five months.”

Ms Fisher has worked in golf courses for about 20 years, and said she has never seen so many American tourists.

Why are they all coming to King Island?

“It’s just spectacular views. And there’s the cheese. And the beef. And the crayfish,” Ms Fisher said.

READ MORE: Festival of King Island, page 23.