New State Tourism Satellite Accounts show importance of industry to Australian economy

The newly released State Tourism Satellite Accounts (STSA) for 2017/18 from Tourism Research Australia shows the importance of tourism to the economy of states and territories by presenting key data on consumption, employment and economic activity.

TRA’s ‘State of the Nation’ data shows that total tourism consumption for 2017/18 was $143 billion, up 6.8% on the $134 billion figure for 2016/17 and, for the decade between 2007/08 and 2017/18, showing an increase of 49.5% - an average annual growth rate of 4.1%.

Three-quarters (75%) of this consumption was in NSW ($42.5 billion), Victoria ($33.1 billion), and Queensland ($32.6 billion). Western Australia ($16.0 billion) and South Australia ($8.4 billion) accounted for a further 17% while Tasmania ($4.4 billion), Northern Territory ($3.3 billion) and Australian Capital Territory ($3.1 billion) accounted for the remaining 8% of consumption.

All states and territories reported consumption growth in 2017/18, with annual growth rates ranging from 3.8% to 11.2%.

Each of the states/territories saw the following results:

Above average growth:

ACT - up 11.2% from $2.8 billion to $3.1 billion 
Tasmania - up 10% from $4.0 billion to $4.4 billion.

Average growth:

Queensland - up 7.6% from $30.3 billion to $32.6 billion 
Victoria - up 7.4% from $30.9 billion to $33.1 billion 
South Australia - up 6.8% from $7.9 billion to $8.4 billion 
NSW - up 6.6% from $39.8 billion to $42.5 billion.

Below average growth:

Northern Territory - up 4.2% from $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion 
Western Australia - up 3.8% from $15.4 billion to $16.0 billion. 

Key data in the report related to tourism jobs in each state.

Advising that tourism was clearly one of the state’s champion industries, NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres stated “the results show that NSW’s contribution to tourism in Australia is invaluable, and locally the industry has a huge impact on our economy.

“Tourism directly employs 182,900 people - equal to one in 22 jobs - in New South Wales, up almost 7,800 people on 2016/17.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula welcomed the study, which showed Victoria’s tourism industry is employing more people than ever, with jobs growth above the national average.

The data showed that 12,900 tourism-related jobs were created over a 12-month period and more than 55,000 jobs in tourism have been created in Victoria since 2013.

The new data shows that Victoria’s visitor economy supported 232,700 jobs in 2017/18 - up 5.9% - and accounted for 7.2% of the state’s total employment.

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food businesses comprised more than a quarter of direct tourism jobs (28%), with retail trade (16%), accommodation (13%) and education/training (11%) the next highest categories.

Minister Pakula stated “tourism is an increasingly important provider of jobs in Victoria and we will continue to back this forward-thinking industry with support for major and regional events and vital infrastructure.

“From Mildura to Mallacoota, these jobs provide security and the promise of a prosperous future, which is why we want even more of them.”

In Western Australia, the Tourism Council WA (TCWA) welcomed the findings that the stated added around 2,000 tourism jobs in 2017/18.

However, with Western Australia having the lowest tourism jobs growth of any state or territory at 1.8%, far behind the Australian growth of 5.3%, and classified as “below average growth” in the report, TCWA Chief Executive Evan Hall stated “if WA tourism had grown at the same rate as Australia, 5,700 new jobs would have been created across the State.

“Western Australia’s falling market share in international tourism is the main barrier to growing tourism jobs for local people.

“The state government should aim to grow tourism jobs at the same rate as the rest of Australia and commit to a target of 6,000 new tourism jobs per annum.”

Newly released data also shows tourism exports earned $22.3 billion in export revenue in 2018/19.

Click here to view the State Tourism Satellite Accounts (STSA) 2017/18.

Images: Staff members at ICC Sydney, with Managing Director Geoff Donaghy (top) and visitors enjoying the BIG4 Howard Springs Holiday Park's aquatic play area (below).