NSW Tourism backs Government action plan

Tourism industry leaders have thrown their support behind the NSW Government's $40 million tourism action plan describing it as "intelligent" and '"ob generating", according to the NSW Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay.

Minister McKay said the package, confirmed in this week's NSW Mini-Budget, would create thousands of extra tourism jobs, deliver a significant increase in visitor spending and provide a substantial boost to the NSW economy.

The NSW Government's $40 million investment over three and a half years will leverage a further $20 million from industry.

Minister McKay stated "this is a true partnership involving all sectors of industry.

"It was developed in close consultation with industry and it is pleasing to see the support it has received from key industry groups."

The Tourism Industry Council of NSW (TICNSW), which represents 7,000 businesses, described the additional investment in tourism as an 'intelligent and targeted approach to tourism."

TICNSW Chairman Ken Corbett commented "this is just the right time for the State Government to be backing up tourism with a thoughtful plan and a job-generating spend.

"As we face up to an uncertain economic climate, this is one of the better ways the State of NSW can stimulate the economy."

Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Deputy-Managing Director Gary O'Riordan said the tourism package will not only assist the industry during the current economic crisis but will help the sector establish and meet long term growth targets for jobs and investment.

O'Riordan stated 'it's not only the short-term relief for small-to-medium sized tourism business, it's the long-term vision and growth prospects which have been renewed ' this will be a huge factor in revitalising the sector and helping the state budget trade its way back into surplus."

The NSW Tourism Strategy includes:

• A commitment to increase NSW's visitor nights and yield to 160.6 million nights and $19.2 billion in annual direct visitor expenditure by 2015/16.
• Greater industry involvement in Tourism NSW with the establishment of new Tourism NSW Board industry reference groups and Ministerial Tourism Taskforces for National Parks (already underway), Education Tourism, Local Government and Planning & Investment.
• Brand Sydney ' repositioning Sydney globally under a single brand for industry, business, the arts, events, education and tourism, an initiative into which the NSW Government is investing $500,000, matched by the collective investment of the other members of the Project Steering Committee.
• Visit Sydney ' formed to increase tourism promotion of Sydney in partnership with industry with a $15.125 million investment from Government and a $6.45 million investment from industry.
• Expanding international tourism ' more international promotion including increased presence in the developing markets of China, India and South Korea. An investment of $13.25 million over three and a half years with industry investing $4.55 million.
• Expanding regional tourism through strengthened partnerships with regional industry. An investment of $10.5 million over three years, with industry investing $9 million
• Addressing supply-side issues ' collaborative work between industry and Government to grow education tourism, improve business development for operators, improve planning and investment and aviation opportunities and grow visitation to National Parks.
• NSW Tourism Industry Plan ' develop a new, long term plan for both Government and industry.

The NSW Tourism Strategy was developed in response to the O'Neill Review into Tourism which was released in June this year.

Image shows Sydney's Manly Beach.

27th June 2008 - NSW TOURISM MUST TRANSFORM