Cash locked in for tourism body

TREASURER Curtis Pitt has budgeted to keep Tourism and Events Queensland alive until 2020-21, pledged to upgrade national parks and boost nature-based tourism, and allocated $10 million to attract major events to the state.

The $47 million future “funding guarantee” extends by a year a pledge to maintain TEQ’s $100 million-a-year operations.

An additional seven staff have been budgeted for Tourism and Events Queensland, bringing total staff to 151 fulltime equivalent positions.

The department employed two temporary staffers last year that weren’t budgeted for – specifically to take advantage of the Commonwealth Games.

A program worth $300,000 over three years, aimed at the tourism industry's future leaders, was also funded. Mr Pitt said the government would also provide increased funding of $40 million over two years to revitalise national parks and enhance nature-based tourism.