New tourism attractions and experiences to be fast-tracked across Queensland with $15 million boost

An additional $15 million boost for the popular Growing Future Tourism Fund will see new tourism attractions and experiences fast-tracked across Queensland.

A $10 million Building Bush Tourism fund has also been announced to supports tourism operators, not-for-profits and local councils outside South East Queensland.

Project funding will range from $50,000 to $200,000, with possible projects including heritage buildings, cultural institutions, aquatic and recreation facilities, supporting infrastructure for arts and music festivals, walking tracks, lookouts and much more.

Speaking at the tourism sector’s major industry event DestinationQ in Cairns, QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told the 700 attendees the Growing Future Tourism Fund would double to $30 million, creating a pipeline of private tourism infrastructure.

Demand for funding in the initial round earlier this year exceeded expectations and identified a large number of exciting new tourism infrastructure projects.

The Growing Future Tourism Fund supports applicants with matched funding to accelerate project completion, ensuring a minimum $60 million investment across the state and supporting construction jobs, as well as increasing overnight visitor expenditure and ongoing tourism jobs.

At the DestinationQ forum Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe also announced the opening of the $10 million Building Bush Tourism fund and noted  “It’s part of our commitment to the Towards Tourism 2032 roadmap’s goal of building a $44 billion-a-year Queensland visitor economy by the Brisbane 2032 Games.

“New experiences and infrastructure are critical to Queensland’s standing as the nation’s favourite holiday location and emerging as a global destination of choice.”

Building Bush Tourism supports tourism operators, not-for-profits and local councils outside South East Queensland to create new or enhanced tourism, social and community infrastructure or deliver community and cultural experiences that improve local lifestyles while also driving visitation.

It is estimated the Building Bush Tourism program could attract more than 300,000 additional visitors each year and inject an extra $60 million in overnight visitor expenditure.

Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Patricia O'Callaghan shared “These commitments to supporting new experiences and infrastructure are important as our industry works towards our bold growth goals.

“Queensland is uniquely diverse and decentralised and the pledge to bolster our regional tourism offerings gives us new experiences to share and new reasons to visit Queensland.

“To remain globally competitive this is exactly the kind of investment we need.”

Queensland Tourism Industry Council Chief Executive Brett Fraser added “Attracting visitors to Queensland is just one part of the puzzle. We need to ensure that we also have the skills, training, and investment needed to meet evolving consumer demands.

“Ensuring that Queensland’s regional communities have the support required to bolster their visitor offerings is key to our state’s tourism success.”

Up to 1,000 tourism industry leaders are in Tropical North Queensland for Tourism Week.

Tourism Week includes three signature industry events – Destination IQ, Destination Q and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s (QTIC) annual Queensland Tourism Awards.

Destination IQ is one of Australia’s premier First Nations tourism forums for learning about new visitor opportunities and emerging national and international trends.

Destination Q, presented by the Queensland Government in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland and QTIC brings together a sample of Queensland’s 64,000 tourism related businesses to map priorities for becoming the nation’s destination of choice.

Now in its 11th year, Destination Q will be headlined by accessibility advocate and past Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott AO and leading economic and marketing experts.

The prestigious, 38th annual Queensland Tourism Awards cap off the week, recognising excellence across 31 categories and winners going on to next year’s Australian Tourism Awards. 

Image top: Outback Queensland Cobbald Gorge; image above Destination Q 2023 at Cairns Convention Centre