MARTIN FERGUSON MARK BISHOP
Minister for Resources and Energy Senator for Western Australia
The Economic Importance of Tourism in Australia’s Regions report released today by the Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson reveals the Australia’s Coral Coast economy is one of the most tourism dependent regional economies in Australia.
The value of the tourism output to Australia’s Coral Coast in 2007/08 was $512 million. This was 6.9 percent of the overall output from the region, making it the fifteenth 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 within Australia’s Coral Coast for many people including hospitality professionals, uni students, travellers, and older Australia’s looking for part-time employment,” said the Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson.
“The Coral Coast region is rightly proud of its tourism industry,” Senator for Western Australia, Mark Bishop 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.
“Australia’s Coral Coast has been supported by the Australian Government through marketing campaigns such as Tourism Australia’s $150m global “There’s Nothing Like Australia” campaign.
“Must-do Coral Coast experiences such as visiting the dolphins at Monkey Mia or snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef have been successfully marketed to both domestic and international visitors.
“Tourism businesses in Australia’s Coral Coast have never had a better opportunity to mesh their business with the millions of dollars going into tourism campaigns at home and overseas.”
Tourism is a big part of the Western Australia economy more broadly. Over 17 million visitors came to the state last year creating an industry which supports almost 57,000 tourism-related businesses.
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