BREAKTHROUGH FOR AUSTRALIAN TOURISM - NO LONGER DOWN UNDER

There has been a fundamental shift in the way Australians view their economy, Tourism Minister Jackie Kelly said today.

Speaking on the first day of Australia’s largest export event, the Australian Tourism Exchange, Minister Kelly said the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC), the nation’s global tourism promoter, had released comprehensive research which pointed to a new awareness of the ‘new economy’.

“Australians clearly recognise that the nation’s wealth and future is tied to one of the world's fastest growing industries - tourism,” Minister Kelly said.

“Forty five per cent of Australians surveyed identified international tourism as the industry which earns Australia the most income from overseas,” she said. “And 96 per cent believe tourism is an economically important industry.

“Ten years ago this result would have been inconceivable, not because inbound tourism was not already a major export earner, but because Australians have long held fast to the belief that our wealth was tied to mining and the land.

“Today, as the research reveals, more Australians believe international tourism is Australia’s biggest export earner than those who believe coal and other mining brings in most earnings from overseas.

“Clearly, the Australian people now recognise the importance of tourism. This must continue to be matched by the business and investment community and government at all levels if the industry is to reach its potential and deliver real benefits and opportunities to the Australian people.”

In 1999 inbound tourism generated $17 billion in export earnings for Australia, employed 300 thousand people and returned $1 billion in taxes to government. The industry’s size is forecast to double over the next decade.

Minister Kelly said other research results showed that not only did the Australian people recognise the value of international tourism, they welcomed it.

“Ninety four per cent of Australians believe it is desirable to have international visitors,” she said. “They believe tourism builds wealth, creates jobs, stimulates the Australian culture, builds goodwill and leads to better standards of service and facilities for Australians.

“No other industry could boast a more positive profile. Importantly, old fears of tourism pushing Australia into a ‘service’ role are clearly dead. Not one person surveyed by the ATC expressed this view, which was widely held in the 1970s.

“Indeed, a majority of respondents could not identify a single disadvantage of international tourism or believed there were none.”

Minister Kelly said it was particularly pleasing to note that nearly half of all people surveyed believed their families benefited either directly or indirectly from international tourism.

“One of the best features of this industry is that its impacts are so broadly spread,” she said. “Unlike other industries, in which the business is centralised among a few companies, tourism is largely a small and micro- business industry, operating successfully right around the country.

“Australians are clearly very well aware of the fact that every foreign tourist to Australia spends their money not just in multi-national hotel chains, but in newsagents, cafes, taxis, clothes shops and other small businesses.”

Minister Kelly said the research also revealed nearly 80 per cent of respondents agreed that the Government should spend money promoting Australia overseas.

Key findings from the ATC Community Attitudes Survey

· 45% of respondents identify international tourism as Australia’s top export earner (coal 23%, other metals 23%, wheat and grains 9%, wool 6%)

· 96% believe tourism is important to the Australian economy (71% stating it was “very” important)

· 94% say it is either very desirable or desirable to have international tourists visit Australia

· 55% could not identify a single disadvantage of international tourism

· 78% agreed that the Government should spend money promoting Australia overseas as a tourist destination

The Community Attitudes Survey was conducted via a national telephone survey of 1171 people aged 14 years and over. Field was conducted between 11 and 27 March 2000.