MARTIN FERGUSON WARREN SNOWDON
Minister for Resources and Energy Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Minister for Tourism Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
Minister for Indigenous Health
Member for Lingiari
The Economic Importance of Tourism in Australia’s Regions report released today by the Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson reveals tourism has the highest economic importance in Central Northern Territory than any other region of Australia.
The value of the tourism output in Central Northern Territory in 2007/08 was $411 million. This was 24.8 percent of the overall output from the region, making it the most tourism dependent region in Australia.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of many regional areas, it creates jobs where people live. Tourism is a source of employment in Central Northern Territory for many people including hospitality professionals, uni students, travellers, Indigenous workers and older Australian’s looking for part-time employment,” said the Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson.
“Tourism is a big part of the Northern Territory’s economy. Nearly two-and-a-half million visitors came to the Territory last year creating an industry which supported almost 4,000 tourism-related businesses.”
“Central Australia is rightly proud of its tourism industry,” Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon said.
“We know regional areas see 46 cents in every dollar of tourism spending. So our local industry isn’t just important to the people who work in it – it’s important to everyone who lives here.
“Central Australia is, of course, home to Australia’s Red Centre National Landscape, a government program to protect and promote a unique natural setting.
“The Australian Government has been working on a pilot project for this region. The Indigenous Tourism Business Skills Project at Ayers Rock Resort, aims to strengthen the local workforce through better skills. In turn, it will stimulate Indigenous enterprise.”
Tourism ministers from all jurisdictions meet in Darwin later this week to discuss a two-year work program to drive greater regional tourism resilience under the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy.
The Economic Importance of Tourism in Australia’s Regions is at www.ret.gov.au/tra.