Sky’s the limit for tourism

AN increase in funding to Tourism Australia has opened the door for “signature experiences” such as the $100 million cableway project and a dive site on the Gold Coast.

The city’s tourism boss Paul Donovan said the projects had received a timely boost with funding to Tourism Australia increasing $20 million to $149 million.

The funding will “increase focus on business events and signature experiences’’ in a bid to remain competitive.

“This is a fantastic budget for tourism because not only have we got a result on attracting more movies here but now there is a real opportunity to push forward with getting more business events, where delegates will spend money here,” Mr Donovan said.

“As for signature experiences, we have talked a lot about a cableway in the Hinterland and a dive wreck off the coast and if we can secure these projects, this funding will allow us to work with Tourism Australia to market the city to much greater degree.

“We need to get people to stay here long and spend more money and this is the way to do it.”

Tourism Australia funds are used to market the nation, both locally and internationally.

Business, political and tourism leaders this month pushed to revive the controversial cableway project, earmarked to run from Mudgeeraba into the mountains to Springbrook.

It was mooted by a syndicate that included businessmen Terry Jackman, Terry Morris, Terry Moore and Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens but was shelved in 2015 after the Palaszczuk Government’s election.

Budget documents reveal Tourism Australia also plans to focus on cultivating areas already considered advantageous such as food and wine, natural beauty, and nature and wildlife.

It will also increase strategic focus on the Asian market, which is the source of nearly half of the nation’s international visitors.

Gold Coast-based Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo said the boost to Tourism Australia’s budget put the city in a position to capitalise on the legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

“The Coalition continues to spend a record amount on tourism and these are millions which will help market the Gold Coast and Australia, both here and abroad,” he said.

“My emphasis is on getting more spending from tourists as well as some innovative new campaigns such as Dundee which will help us realise this objective.

“It is important we do not lose momentum from the Commonwealth Games during which we had more than one billion pairs of eyes on the city and now can follow through with a stronger market presence.”

The tourism industry’s value to the national economy has grown 17 per cent since 2014, far outpacing the growth of the national economy.

It is estimated to be worth more than $4 billion to the Gold Coast market.

The city will be a leader in provision of new hotel rooms. More than 7000 are set to be added nationally in the next financial year – among them the $1 billion Ruby complex, with the first of four towers expected to open in northern Surfers Paradise just before Christmas.

Stage one will unveil more than 220 apartments.