AusLeisure

The 2018 Federal Budget provided good news for Australian tourism, delivering a much-needed boost to the tourism export sector through investment in destination marketing and support for regional tourism development according to the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC).

ATEC has welcomed the marginal increase in funding for Tourism Australia and the $45 million in funding for regional tourism businesses that its sees will support the industry to continue to deliver a high quality and diverse visitor experience into the future.

Welcoming the funding, ATEC Managing Director Peter Shelley stated “ATEC is pleased to see the Government has listened to the calls from the industry to support the continued success of tourism exports through investment.

“In the past 10 years tourism exports have become one of Australia’s most successful income earners, and ATEC has been urging the Government to recognise that greater tourism investment is needed to meet the forecast demand.

“Our industry faces many challenges, challenges which are the result of our staggering rate of growth that has tourism exports increasing by more than 6% a year. We must build an industry that can not only meet the demand of today, but have a sound strategy for the future and this budget will help us achieve that goal.”

Shelley said tourism businesses would welcome investment in regional Australia through the Building Better Regions Fund.

Federal Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo has also advised of a suite of new marketing tools, developed by Tourism Australia and Austrade, to drive tourism investment in regional Australia.

He said the investment and marketing collateral provided a snapshot of key tourism information such as visitation, airport infrastructure, accommodation and the investment landscape for eight key regional destinations: the Whitsundays, Katherine, Margaret River, Kangaroo Island, East Coast Tasmania, Canberra, Great Ocean Road, and Snowy Mountains.

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Advising that each region was nominated by their respective state or territory government and was indicative of the opportunity across regional Australia, Minister Ciobo stated “Australia remains an attractive destination for tourism investment.

“Our economy has outperformed its peers for more than two decades and is in its 27th year of consecutive economic growth; the only developed economy in the world to achieve this distinction.

“In addition, Australia is the 10th largest international tourism market and United Nations World Tourism Organization figures show first for visitor spend per trip. International arrivals and spend are at record levels.

“We’ve seen international visitor spend grow a further 6% in the last year to reach $41.3 billion, with spending by Chinese tourists reaching $10 billion. International visitors are seeking world-class nature and wildlife experiences, food and wine, and aquatic and coastal experiences; all of which are abundant in regional Australia.

“Attracting investment into regional leisure destinations is a priority for the Turnbull Coalition Government. Last year I launched the Regional Tourism Investment Strategy, which seeks to spread the benefits of tourism beyond our major gateways.

“With strong growth and 43 cents of every tourism dollar being spent in our regions, the importance of Australia’s regional destinations cannot be underestimated.” 

Images: Mountain bike adventures out of Thredbo (top) and Swan River Seaplanes at Margaret River (below).

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22nd September 2017 - GROWTH ONGOING IN AUSTRALIAN TOURISM AS SPENDING EXCEEDS $103 BILLION

26th April 2017 - LOCAL COUNCILS MAKE BIG INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM 

29th August 2016 - AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL TOURISM NETWORK CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT TO ‘GET SERIOUS’ ABOUT TOURISM

3rd April 2016 - ALL MOUNTAIN TRAIL TO BOOST THREDBO’S STATUS AS AUSTRALIA’S ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN BIKE DESTINATION

12th March 2016 - TTF REVEALS PLAN FOR TOURISM TO ‘TURBOCHARGE’ THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY 

8th October 2015 - MORE THAN 39 MILLION VISITS TO NSW NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES IN 2014 

12th December 2014 - ANGER OVER AUSTRALIA’S WITHDRAWL FROM UNWTO

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We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

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