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Confident that there is a significant opportunity to grow Queensland’s share of the $106 billion Australian tourism industry, the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) is encouraging candidates and voters to put tourism at the top of their agenda in the upcoming Queensland election.

QTIC highlights that even though a record number of 24 million visitors came to Queensland in the year ending June 2017, growth in visitor expenditure is lagging when compared to other states.

QTIC Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind said one of the key priorities the tourism industry is advocating for is a focused investment in building the competitiveness of our destinations.

Gschwind explained “tourism needs the infrastructure and it needs the marketing but it also needs an industry that has the capability and capacity to drive innovation and create market-leading experiences.

“We need an investment in industry-led, capacity building programs that can assist Queensland’s 53,100 tourism businesses to be globally competitive and capitalise on the forecast growth."

Gschwind said growth in global tourism is on track to grow at twice the rate of the rest of economy over the coming decade, adding “we must put Queensland in the best possible positon to make the most of this opportunity.

“Already more than 225,000 Queenslanders work in tourism and many more jobs can be created right across our state through capacity building programs.

“Now is the time for the business sector and governments at all levels to focus and collaborate on the growing momentum of the tourism industry."

QTIC is busy speaking with candidates across Queensland on tourism priorities for their electorates.

QTIC will also launch its regional priority factsheets, in partnership with Regional Tourism Organisations, later this week.

The Queensland tourism priorities were launched on World Tourism Day (27th September 2017).

QTIC’s tourism priorities for 2017 State Government election:

• Invest in innovation to drive business and product development
• Build business capability through industry-led programs
• Develop sustainable business opportunities through Queensland’s natural and cultural heritage
• Maximise Queensland’s destination advantage
• Accelerate public investment in tourism infrastructure for jobs and economic growth
• Provide certainty for competitive investment in tourism marketing and event attraction

27th September 2017 - EARTHCHECK PRIZED FOR INNOVATION ON WORLD TOURISM DAY 

3rd August 2017 - NEW PLAN TO SUPPORT NATURE-BASED TOURISM IN HINCHINBROOK ISLAND NATIONAL PARK 

18th June 2017 - $40 MILLION BUDGET COMMITMENT TO REVITALISE QUEENSLAND’S NATIONAL PARKS 

14th June 2017 - SECTORS BACKED BY QUEENSLAND BUDGET 

12th May 2017 - STATE TOURISM BODIES SEE ‘MISSED OPPORTUNITIES’ IN FEDERAL BUDGET 

29th March 2017 - QUEENSLAND TOURISM INDUSTRY RALLIES FOLLOWING CYCLONE DEBBIE 

12th February 2017 - GLOBAL TOURISM BODIES WELCOME INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM FOR DEVELOPMENT 2017

8th October 2016 - VISITS TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF AN EXAMPLE OF ‘LAST CHANCE TOURISM’ 

27th September 2016 - QUEENSLAND INNOVATORS RECOGNISED FOR TOURISM INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP 

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