TTF launches 10-point tourism plan for the next Australian Government

In advance of Australia's looming Federal election, tourism industry lobbying group the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) has launched a 10-point plan outlining how it feels the next Australian Government should back tourism.

The plan, contained in the document Australian Tourism: Backing Our Strengths. A National Agenda for the Australian Government has been sent to MPs and candidates in all 150 federal electorates along with copies of TTF's recently released National Tourism Business Count & Employment Atlas and an individual electorate profile.

TTF Chief Executive Ken Morrison says the tourism industry makes a massive nationwide contribution and can help to deliver prosperity for Australia as the mining investment boom subsides.

Morrison explains "tourism is an economic development strategy for Australia.

"It needs to be central to the policy platforms of all parties. Tourism provides real potential to increase national income and spread jobs right around the country.

"We have identified ten key priorities to accelerate this growth:

• Increase funding for Tourism Australia so we can better sell Australia to the world;
• Focus government resources to capitalise on Asian Century opportunities;
• Freeze and review the passenger movement charge (departure tax);
• Commit to a secondary Sydney airport site at Badgerys Creek;
• Review penalty rates to recognise the needs of tourism and hospitality;
• Expand the working holiday maker scheme;
• Establish a $10 million per annum support fund to help secure more international business events and a $5 million fund to attract international sporting events;
• Reform the tax system to encourage investment in tourism infrastructure;
• Streamline trans-Tasman border processing and reduce the passenger movement charge to $25 for trans-Tasman travel to encourage more New Zealanders to visit;
• Increase funding for federal national parks which are some of our major drawcards.

"Tourism already generates more than $100 billion a year in economic activity in every part of Australia and directly employs more than 500,000 Australians - twice as many as the mining sector.

"In fact, there are between 2,400 and 8,500 direct tourism jobs in every federal electorate and 283,000 tourism businesses across the country a breadth of activity few if any other sectors can match.

"The Asian Century provides us with an enormous opportunity and tourism can play an even bigger role in diversifying our economy.

"By backing this ten-point tourism plan, political leaders would be backing one of Australia's great strengths, helping to deliver jobs and business opportunities around the country."

Australian Tourism: Backing Our Strengths. A national agenda for the Australian Government can be viewed at www.ttf.org.au/Content/agenda.aspx

Image: Denham, Western Australia.

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