Page 2551 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 1993
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I am sure that all members of the Assembly will join with me in congratulating the ACT's tourism industry generally on the results they have achieved recently. Members will know that the ACT is now confirmed as having amongst the strongest growth in Australia. In fact, the ACT appears in this week's Bulletin magazine as achieving the highest growth in room occupancy rates, and that is a very pleasing statistic to see there. This is as a result of the industry and the Government working consistently together to market the tourism potential of the Territory and its region.
When I made my original statement on this matter, I advised the Assembly of the members of the new advisory board of the ACT Tourism Commission and I stated that I was optimistic about the contribution the very high-quality board would make to tourism in the Territory and, through that, to the Territory's economy. Since I last spoke, the board has indeed got on with the job. One of these days, Mr Westende might actually give them some credit for that, rather than carping. The board has been through a think-tank process. They have focused on a few pressing issues that I believe can make a significant additional contribution to the Territory's economic health.
The first of these issues is a program to boost the traditionally low tourism numbers we experience in winter, which has been a matter of history in the Territory. The Tourism Commission has been instrumental in designing a range of packaging opportunities for visitors to the city during the months of June, July and August. Members might have seen, for instance, the Sizzlers campaign, which has combined the efforts of a huge number of our ACT accommodation houses in putting together packages to attract people to Canberra during these cold months. We expect that we can hold the winter visitation figures at a higher level than in previous years, thus enabling the hotel industry in particular to maintain the permanent employment opportunities it has created, many of which are for young people. I might digress for a moment to inform members again that it is now estimated that the tourism industry, directly and indirectly, employs about 8,000 people in this Territory and injects into our economy about $10m every week. It is a major industry and a valuable industry.
The board has also been on a visit to Namadgi National Park. They are currently preparing advice for me on how we might more significantly tap into the ecotourism market whilst adding to the appreciation of the magnificent natural values of Namadgi National Park and, as always, protecting its conservation values as well. The third activity the board has been involved in is looking at the question of events and the contribution they make to the industry. They are very keen to see a series of major events added to the minor ones the Tourism Commission was successful in obtaining and supporting during the previous 12 months. Fourthly, the board is having a closer look at how we can attract a bigger proportion of the over-55s market. This is traditionally a lucrative market. People over 55 have leisure and are very keen on travel, and on comfortable travel in particular. Canberra has traditionally been successful in attracting this market. The board believes that there is room for significant improvement and that this market is growing.
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