General News
12 November, 2024
Industry goal is $7.5bn
THE Far North’s tourism industry could be worth $7.5 billion a year by 2032.
The ‘stretch target’ would also support an extra 12,500 regional jobs and pay an additional $780 million in tax revenue per annum.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen said the stretch target was identified in the draft Tropical North Queensland destination management plan 2032 with the executive summary released last month after 12 months of consultation throughout the region.
“If TTNQ can secure the funding required to deliver on the aspirations of the plan, it could outstrip the targets set in Queensland’s ‘Towards Tourism 2032’ strategy, which included $6.7bn in visitor expenditure in the region,” he said.
There are seven key areas that will drive the region’s growth to become a globally sought after sustainable and regenerative tourism destination with a year-round visitor economy.
1. Securing additional direct aviation routes domestically and internationally, and increasing investment in destination marketing to drive the required demand
2. Holding the region’s domestic market share, growing interstate holiday nights from key segments including business events, sustainability, wellness, adventure and nature-based tourism
3. Increasing the region’s share of the national touring drive market and cruise passenger markets and increasing dispersal, especially in the off-peak seasons
4. Being the national leader in regenerative tourism, growing its share of key international ‘conscious-travel’ markets seeking to avoid contributing to over-tourism and connecting visitors to Country with the most Indigenous experiences of any destination
5. Leveraging events and key international and ‘travel for a purpose’ segments to travel in off-peak seasons to support a year-round visitor economy with regional dispersal
6. Attracting investment in new experiences, accommodation and core infrastructure to grow a share of key international markets and increase their stay and spend
7. Supporting programs and policies that build career pathways and attract, retain and house skilled workers including growing a share of the national market for international education.
Mr Olsen said the plan outlined a comprehensive approach to achieving these growth strategies, including specific actions across FNQ’s sub-regions which have been identified in the workshops held in those areas.
“The targets are linked to the funding request outlined by TTNQ from the local, state and federal governments including the $10m election commitment where we are seeking bipartisan support,” he said.
“The game changers critical to the success of the plan include the need to leverage our proximity to Asia as the northern gateway to Australia with new direct aviation routes and increased domestic links to enable more travellers to access our destination easily.
“The value of business and major events is already growing for our destination, and these could potentially double in value to better support aviation, trade and investment and, importantly, deliver liveability benefits for our community.”
Read the summary at
