Page 2885 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 September 2014
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It should also be noted that 2015 will provide a significant opportunity for Canberra to play a central role in the centenary of Anzac commemorations. The Canberra and region tourism industry are well placed to leverage these significant tourism opportunities.
Specific programs like the second phase of the Australian tourism award winning human brochure campaign and cooperative industry and media partnerships are some of the activities that we will be undertaking to stimulate demand from interstate and international markets.
Domestic marketing innovation is another critical plank of our 2020 framework. The visiting friends and relatives market, which is very important to us, is being stimulated through the 101 local humans campaign currently being delivered by Visit Canberra. This builds on the success that was duly recognised by the national tourism industry through the winning of an Australian tourism award for marketing by the human brochure campaign.
Later this year 101 local humans will invite their interstate friends and relatives to experience the best that our city has to offer, with their experiences being highlighted through social media. Importantly, this campaign has been supported by more than 60 industry partners. One of the other success stories of recent times has been the level of buy-in from the local tourism industry into the 2020 strategy and into the specific campaigns that we are running. Achieving our 2020 goals will only be possible with the coordinated commitment and investment from peak industry bodies, tourism businesses and the territory government—and of course would be helped greatly if the federal government would be a little more supportive of tourism in this region.
Unfortunately, the federal government has walked away from support of the domestic tourism industry by cutting all domestic tourism marketing through Tourism Australia. It is also disappointing that there is not a direct minister with tourism in his portfolio title. Minister Robb does a good job as trade and investment minister, but you always get the feeling that without a direct tourism minister the industry is being put just a little bit behind other areas within that portfolio.
It is understandable. It is a massive workload, being the trade minister; I acknowledge that. It would be great if we had a dedicated tourism minister at the national level. That is disappointing, but we work cooperatively with Minister Robb, and I enjoy a productive relationship with him. We will continue to focus on tourism. It is important for this economy and it is important for this community. (Time expired.)
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (6.42): I intend to keep my remarks fairly brief tonight because I know members want to get to the adjournment debate as well. It has been a good discussion this evening. I think the intent of Mr Smyth’s motion is to highlight the figures in the preceding 12 months. I will be supporting Mr Barr’s amendment tonight, because I think paragraph (2) of Mr Smyth’s motion actually seeks the explanation. A lot of that commentary is contained in Mr Barr’s amendment, or at least his perspective on what it is, and in the remarks that he has just made. So I think it is appropriate to support that amendment tonight, which I believe addresses the questions that Mr Smyth has raised.
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