Tourism a rare winner in Queensland budget

After taking a battering for the past six months, the Queensland tourism industry is set to benefit from an extra $83 million from the State budget.
The funding, set for tourism events over four years, aims to help the State recover from the floods and cyclones, the global financial crisis and the effects of the strong Australian dollar.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the package will help boost visitor numbers and support regional communities.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind said the government's funding boost is a sign of confidence in an industry that is still suffering.
Gschwind explains "our tourism industry contributes more than $9 billion to the Queensland economy each year and directly and indirectly employs 222,000 Queenslanders, it delivers returns to the state and rightly is a priority for the state government.
"The floods and cyclones that battered the state earlier this year have crippled the tourism industry, with many small operators struggling to stay afloat."
Gschwind said areas not directly affected by the natural disasters, like the Gold Coast, the Whitsundays and Cairns, are still feeling the effects, adding "this funding boost will put Queensland in a more competitive position
The budget also made provision for a $12.5 million upgrade to the Queensland Museum at Brisbane's Southbank.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said Queensland needs to take a lead from NSW and Victoria and be more aggressive in pursuing big events, stating "in Brisbane, we'll see this year two more Australian exclusive blockbusters at the Gallery of Modern Art - Surrealism and Matisse - thanks to the continuing successful partnership with Events Queensland.
"I think it's time to up the ante, Queensland has to be in the game."
However, Felicia Mariani of the Australian Tourism Export Council's (ATEC) has warned the future of the state's tourism marketing capacity is at risk.
The ATEC Managing Director has expressed concern the leisure tourism budget only remains steady in the coming year, stating "while there are some welcome additions to improving the capacity of the industry to be competitive and effective in a global marketplace, the need for continuing to drive demand to Queensland is critical."
Mariani said that in the wake of the recent Australia-China Summit in Cairns, now was the time to consolidate and leverage the profile and effort put into Queensland over the past six months.