The money will fund tourism campaigns like this one by Tourism Australia.
Australian tourism has been badly hit by the global recession in recent times however things might be about to look up.
The tourist industry has been given an $11 million boost by airlines and regional and state tourist organisations keen to see the struggling industry pick up once more. Plus an extra $9 million by the Federal Government.
Last year we reported how airlines were desperate to fill up seats on their international flights as passenger numbers declined. And tourist figures have been declining steadily, with fewer international tourists arriving in the country. Hotels have also borne the brunt of the failing tourist economy and have been slashing the prices of hotel rooms in order to lure customers in.
Last October the Federal Government decided to invest $9 million into Tourism Australia’s 2009/10 budget which will be spent on overseas marketing, such as the campaign currently being led by ‘Best Job in the World’ winner Ben Southall for Tourism Queensland.
Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, blamed the crisis on the swine flu pandemic and the global recession: “We all know that 2009 was a very tough year,” he stated yesterday. “International visitors to Australia declined by one per cent, compared to an average of about four per cent around the world.”
However he is optimistic that the funding will help the industry to get back on its feet: “When [private organisations] buy in… you’ve actually got a better chance of making it work.”
“It will also fund initiatives to stimulate business travel, which fell away badly in 2009”
Investing this much money in the tourist industry is bound to be risky, but with Britain now officially out of the recession and the hope that other countries will follow suit, the government is no doubt hoping that their investment will pay off and the tourist industry will benefit from consumer spending once more.
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