Page 179 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, were there any other ACT tourism and events industry representatives recognised at the Australian tourism awards?
MR BARR: Yes. I am pleased to advise that the ACT was well represented at the national awards. There were eight other finalists representing the territory in addition to the human brochure campaign—the National Gallery of Australia in the major tourist attractions category; Questacon in the tourist attractions category; Floriade in the major festivals and events category; the National Folk Festival in the festivals and events category; the National Botanic Gardens in the ecotourism category; Elm Cottage in the unique accommodation category; the Hyatt Hotel Canberra in the luxury accommodation category; and the Novotel Canberra, which was recognised locally, won the excellence and sustainable tourism category and went on to represent the territory nationally. This is a great result for the Canberra tourism industry, which, all acknowledge, contributes enormously to our economy. All of those finalists represented the territory proudly and well. We look forward to more entrants in the 2014 awards.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, could you outline the tourism initiatives and events that the government will invest in during 2014?
MADAM SPEAKER: I presume that you have already announced this somewhere else, Mr Barr. I call Mr Barr.
MR BARR: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The future direction of growing the value of the visitor economy is informed by the government’s 2020 tourism strategy which I launched in December last year. Importantly, the intent of this strategy is for tourism to be viewed as a business that adds diversity and broadens the ACT economy, a point at times I wish the chamber of commerce would support too.
In 2014 the ACT government will provide financial assistance to 22 events through the ACT event fund, as well as delivering a range of other events for the city, including Floriade and Floriade NightFest, New Year’s Eve and Australia Day celebrations, the lighting of the Christmas tree, the Canberra Nara candle festival, the balloon spectacular—I know the shadow tourism minister is very fond of the balloon spectacular—symphony in the park, the Canberra Day celebrations, and, this weekend, an event that I am very pleased is going from strength to strength, the Enlighten festival, which starts this weekend. Last year a total of 115,000 people attended Enlighten events. This was a significant growth on the 2012 figure, which was of course impacted by two days of torrential rain.
In 2014 the Enlighten festival will feature projections onto six buildings within the parliamentary zone, as well as a range of exhibitions, film screenings, live music and performances, stand-up comedy, tours of national institutions, pop-up dining experiences and much more. Members are encouraged to attend. I look forward to seeing a very strong turnout for Enlighten 2014.
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