Minister Announces National Tourism Strategy

Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson MP, has announced the development of a National Tourism Strategy aimed at strengthening the tourism industry's supply-side capacity and maximising the net economic benefits of tourism to the Australian economy.

Minister Ferguson made the announcement in Sydney at the Tourism Transport Forum's Outlook conference, stating "tourism's contribution to the Australian economy is already immense, with the sector generating more than $38 billion in GDP and directly employing more than 482,000 people.

"However the industry is changing and it is time we revised our thinking to meet its new challenges.

"We need to ensure our tourism industry has the productive capacity to meet its future market demands and this means greater attention must be paid to supply-side issues such as investment, labour and skills, climate change, and infrastructure.

"This strategy is not about another marketing plan - the industry needs more than advertising.

"The Strategy will be developed over the next 12 months in consultation with industry. A Steering Committee will soon be established from senior representatives from within and outside the sector.

"The Steering Committee will be chosen on the basis of the expertise and ideas they bring to the table; and their capacity to mould ideas into a coherent long-term vision for the sector.

"Tourism is an extremely competitive global market however there is good news for the Australian industry in the shape of new and emerging markets in China and India.

"By 2016, China is expected to be our biggest tourism market," Minister Ferguson explained, adding "this is our expectation but it's not a reality yet - we have to work for it."