Page 180 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 28 November 2012
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would significantly increase tourism’s contribution to the national economy. Each state and territory, as part of the 2020 strategy, will have a contribution to make towards the national goal. It is through initiatives such as our special events fund, the event assistance program, the festivals fund and innovations like the human brochure campaign that Australian Capital Tourism is already working towards this growth target.
But there is of course more to do. At the tourism industry awards last Friday I had the pleasure of announcing that Australian Capital Tourism will lead an industry focused strategic plan for our tourism region for the period 2013 to 2020. The strategic direction will focus on implementing programs that align with the federal government’s vision, and this of course sets an ambitious target for doubling overnight expenditure in the ACT by 2020.
To achieve this, the strategy will consider both supply and demand issues that need to be focused on, and these include labour and skills, investment and regulatory reform, access to our market, growing demand domestically and also growing demand internationally from key markets, and, finally, a particular emphasis on improving the tourism industry’s digital capability.
To achieve this ambitious target the government and the tourism industry will work closely together. Through Australian Capital Tourism we will undertake an extensive consultation process in development and preparation of the strategic plan and will work directly with the key industry groups. Core to the implementation of the plan will be the government’s commitment to the continuation of the special event fund, continuation of the Enlighten autumn festival and additional funding for organisations like the National Capital Educational Tourism Project and the Canberra Convention Bureau.
We will continue to work with our vibrant tourism and events sector to grow domestic and international visitation and, most importantly, grow the economic contribution that this sector makes to the territory economy.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: How is the ACT government utilising the centenary year to boost tourism and achieve the goals of the tourism 2020 vision?
MR BARR: The centenary year does provide, perhaps not surprisingly, a once in a 100-year opportunity for our city. We have the opportunity to work in partnership with a number of national institutions, and in fact a number of national companies, to promote our city during the centenary year.
I would like to particularly acknowledge the very strong support that we have seen across the sport and recreation sector in Australia, particularly the major sports who have all committed to events in Canberra in the centenary year. So we will see a number of firsts in our city—the first time the Australian cricket team has ever played in Canberra. It will be the second match under lights at Manuka Oval—a fantastic achievement for this city and one that we certainly hope to build on with the local
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