Tourism kicks in $2.5b to region

TROPICAL North Queensland’s tourism sector is third equal in importance to the Queensland economy.

New data showed in 2015-16 the tourism industry contributed an estimated $2.5 billion to the Tropical North Queensland regional economy or 16.7 per cent of Tropical North Queensland’s gross regional product.

It falls behind Brisbane ($8.1b) and the Gold Coast ($5b) and equal to the Sunshine Coast.

Statistics from Tourism Satellite Accounts, which evaluates tourism industry activity and economic performance, found the industry also directly employed about 16,700 people, or 12.6 per cent of workers.

Tropical North Queensland ranked third equal in the comparative importance of tourism across Queensland’s 12 tourism regions, supplying 12.9 per cent of the statewide direct contribution of tourism.

While Herron Todd White research director Rick Carr expressed surprise the Far North tourism industry was not the state’s most lucrative.

“Tourism is an important part of the local economy and supports many flow-on industries,” he said.

“It is a great job generator and economic driver but we’re quite reliant on it.

“Diversification is good and should be done within the industry. We have developed the Japanese market, now we are developing the Chinese market, and in the future we will be developing the Indian and Middle Eastern markets. It’s about not having all your eggs in the same basket.”

Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Pip Close said the region was on track to meet the upgraded 2020 goal of $4.36 billion in tourism expenditure.

“In the 2016-17 financial year 2.7 million people visited Tropical North Queensland spending $3 billion during their stay,” she said.

Ms Close said tourism included the entire community, not just tours and hotels.