Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
I would like to start by commending you all for the incredible work you have undertaken in firmly establishing Canberra as one of Australia's great tourism destinations.
As you know, I have always been a great supporter of the ACT tourism experience and that has sometimes got me into hot water.
Earlier this year I told the Weekend Australian that I liked to holiday in Canberra as it’s within easy travelling distance from Sydney and Melbourne and offers wonderful cultural experiences such as the War Memorial and the National Library.
It's fair to say the media and politicians up north didn't share the same sentiment.
Clearly, there is a lot of competition between tourism destinations in Australia and that is good for the industry.
It generates the kind of creative tension that is good for innovation and pushes the bar ever higher on the quality of tourism products and services – something that is very much needed if Australia is to maintain a vibrant and successful tourism industry over the long-term.
Tourism is a tough industry and this year is an exceptionally tough one for tourism.
If you stand still you'll find yourself going backwards – you can't rest for a second.
The ACT industry is proof of what can happen when you take the hard decisions and decide to be masters of your own destiny.
The past year has been a standout.
In 2007, total visitor expenditure in the ACT increased nearly 15 per cent; well above the 7.1 per cent increase for all visitor expenditure in Australia.
Most segments of the ACT market reported solid growth.
Day travel to the region increased strongly and domestic overnight visitor expenditure increased more than 15 per cent.
I am also pleased to see the ACT has the highest occupancy rate in Australia.
You have successfully identified your target markets and you have been able to identify your point of difference from other competing destinations.
The school excursion market has benefited from a coordinated approach by the many local cultural institutions.
And you have correctly identified your close proximity to other larger regional hubs and cities and worked to secure events such as the ever popular National Folk Festival that attracts visitors from across Australia.
But as you all know - the tourism industry is variable.
That's why many of the policies I am driving as Minister are aimed at making the tourism industry around Australia more capable of deciding their own future – giving them the tools to respond to challenges and not be victims of changing circumstance.
For that reason I am driving initiatives that will establish the foundation for the tourism industry for the next decade or more.
Of paramount importance is the development of the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy.
The focus of national tourism policy in the past has been on marketing.
That remains a very important aspect of national tourism policy.
But just as importantly our new Strategy must focus on the supply side of the industry to ensure we have the productive capacity to respond to the market and ensure we deliver on the tourism experiences promised in our marketing campaigns.
The Strategy will be developed by mid-2009, providing a long-term vision for the tourism industry and a platform for consistent long-term policy development by successive governments.
It is not a political document to meet short-term political objectives.
That's why so many tourism plans have failed to meet the needs of industry.
The Strategy will focus on issues such as tourism investment, infrastructure, skills and labour, productivity, climate change and domestic tourism.
And we will broaden our scope beyond leisure tourism and address education, business and events tourism and travel.
Of course there are also exciting new developments unfolding on the marketing front and I am eagerly looking forward to the launch of Baz Luhrmann's film 'Australia' in November this year.
I have been lucky enough to have enjoyed a sneak preview and it appears Baz has certainly proved why he is such an acclaimed director.
The images of Australia he has captured are truly remarkable. However, I dare say that the natural beauty of this great country of ours made his job all the easier.
Marketing is of course the realm of Tourism Australia – an organisation that has at times been the plaything of the Minister of the day
I am working hard to establish a new relationship with Tourism Australia.
I have provided TA with a Statement of Expectations – clearly outlining what I, as Minister, expect from them as the body in charge of marketing Australia internationally.
They will respond with a Statement of Intent.
With that in mind, it gives me great pleasure to make a significant announcement about a new marketing and product initiative – Tourism Australia's National Landscapes program.
Today, I would like to formally announce the addition of the Australian Alps to this program.
It is an announcement which will see this wonderful part of our nation feature prominently in Australia's international tourism marketing.
The National Landscapes program highlights the visitor experiences offered by Australia’s distinctive natural and cultural environments.
It is aimed at attracting Tourism Australia's key target market - 'experience seekers' - who are travellers of all ages who share a passion for experiencing new adventures and destinations which enable them to engage with a local culture.
The program is to promote Australian landscapes which will be major drawcards for international visitors because of their natural and cultural values.
It will package an elite set of distinctively Australian natural experiences which can now be marketed on the international stage.
The regions included in this unique program are set to develop an international profile which will attract high-yielding, long-stay, visitors.
The program provides a foundation for regional tourism businesses, local governments and national park authorities to collaborate in developing and enhancing quality accommodation, food, art/craft, information and experience-based products, services and infrastructure that capitalise on the natural and cultural attractions of these unique Australian regions.
Regional tourism businesses have a great opportunity to benefit from Tourism Australia's marketing of the National Landscapes program.
By the same token, we need their innovation and cooperation to make the program a real success.
The Australian Alps region has been included as it is one of Australia’s most unique natural areas, covering 1.6 million hectares of protected wilderness.
Our alpine and sub-alpine environments are a dramatic contrast to the well-known images of the Australian Outback and the region offers a tremendous variety of visitor experiences.
It also possesses a rich Indigenous and European cultural heritage, an abundance of natural diversity, and spectacular wilderness.
They are also home to Australia's greatest ever engineering project – the Snowy Hydro – which was built by migrants from all over the world – those migrants are responsible for the rich diversity of Australia's music, food, art, religious and cultural traditions today.
Australia is home to some of the world's greatest natural wonders and the National Landscapes program provides us with an opportunity to celebrate them with the world.
Nearly two thirds of inbound tourists seek an Australian nature experience and the National Landscapes program demonstrates how properly managing and taking care of our environmental and cultural assets can bring enormous long-term economic benefit.
But to become a National Landscape the managers must ensure the sites are sustainable. In this way, the National Landscapes Program is a partnership between the conservation and tourism management sectors.
The program captures and promotes the best of Australia with the additional aims of conservation, and social and economic outcomes for the country and its regions.
In a crowded and hectic world, Australia's National Landscapes will highlight how our distinct and rich environment – including the Red Centre, Kakadu, the Flinders Ranges and now the Australian Alps – offers a unique escape for the adventure-minded tourist.
Remember, the Alps are more than a winter wonderland.
And as such, they offer a great tourism opportunity for Canberra – not just as a gateway and hub to the ACT – but for the wider southern New South Wales region.
Canberra already has some of the best and most-loved attractions in the country.
Canberra is well served by road and air with an international airport that is a key piece of economic infrastructure for business and tourism in the ACT and southern New South Wales.
And it's about to get better.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of Canberra as a regional hub and committed $30 million to upgrade the Canberra Airport road corridors as part of the Rudd Labor Government's transport election package.
Canberra International Airport is the gateway to the national capital and very important to business and tourism in the surrounding regions of NSW.
Canberra International Airport has also become an important business and employment hub for Canberra and Queanbeyan with employment in the Brindabella Business Park rising from around 1500 to about 5000 over the last decade. Likewise, airport businesses have grown.
Canberra International Airport is also about to undergo a $250 million redevelopment which will:
· Double the check-in counters from 16 to 32;
· Install two new aerobridges
· Treble the baggage belt capacity;
· Almost double the number of car parking spaces; and
This investment will remove a lot of the burden of travel and enhance Canberra's position as a gateway to the ACT and southern NSW.
Clearly, the ACT tourism industry has some exciting times ahead of it and it is well-placed to build upon the strong performance of recent years.
Can I again say - I believe that you all stand to benefit from the Australian Alps' inclusion in the international marketing campaigns of Tourism Australia.
Ladies and gentlemen, the portfolio sectors I represent – resources, energy, and tourism – are vital to the Australian economy.
Together they make up one-third of Australia's total exports – that's very impressive. Tourism alone employs nearly half a million Australians.
I want them all to succeed and contribute to the future health and prosperity of Australia and Australians. ACT tourism has an important role to play.
I wish you well in its success and look forward to seeing the results of your continued good work.
Thank you.