The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, and Don Farrell, Senator for South Australia, have welcomed the official opening of the Coobowie Schoolhouse Retreat.
The Australian Government contributed $100,000 to the $313,000 Coobowie Schoolhouse Retreat project through the Australian Tourism Development Program. The $313,000 project has seen the renovation of the Coobowie Schoolhouse into multi-function accommodation. On 15 April 2009, the TQUAL Grants programreplaced the Australian Tourism Development Program. So far, the TQUAL Grants program has provided almost $8.3 million towards 70 projects throughout Australia.
Minister Ferguson welcomed the launch and said the project would assist the community to accommodate more visitors, and support jobs in tourism.
Minister Ferguson said: "Through the TQUAL Grants program, the Australian Government is making a direct investment in the growth of our tourism industry. We are delivering innovative projects like the Coobowie Schoolhouse project, to assist the industry and communities to increase their share of domestic and international tourism spending."
Attending the event on Minister Ferguson's behalf, Senator Farrell said it is important to be proactive in showcasing South Australia's tourism experiences as the state's tourism industry directly employs almost 30,000 people and contributes over $2.3 billion to the state economy.
"The Yorke Peninsula has long been a favourite holiday spot for South Australians with its pristine beaches, great fishing, surfing, diving, and leisure activities," he said. "This project provides additional accommodation so visitors can stay longer and explore more of the region."
Tourism Australia's latest marketing campaign 'There's Nothing Like Australia' offers regional communities like Coobowie the chance to showcase their attractions to the world. The campaign calls on everyone to upload and share their unique Australian experiences to the campaign website www.nothinglikeaustralia.com. To date, more than 5000 people have participated in the campaign.
The Australian Government is also investing in tourism marketing to support further growth in domestic visitor numbers. In Australia, workers have accumulated 123 million days of annual leave, worth $33 billion in wages. The Australian Government and Tourism Australia's 'No Leave No Life' campaign encourages workers to use their leave for an Australian holiday.
Senator Farrell said: "Having 123 million days tied up in accrued leave is bad for the worker, bad for productivity and workplace morale, and bad for the economy. This campaign will assist in prising Australian workers from their work-stations to explore the wealth of tourism attractions in Australia - including those here on the Yorke Peninsula."