MEDIA STATEMENT: Destination 2045: A bold 20-year vision for the future of Queensland tourism

DESTINATION 2045 
A bold 20-year vision for the future of Queensland tourism 

• Destination 2045 is an ambitious plan for Queensland’s tourism future, leveraging opportunities for the lead up and legacy of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 
• Destination 2045 will deliver 45 new ecotourism experiences, make Queensland the events capital, attract new flight connections, and streamline regulation for industry.  

The Crisafulli Government is delivering Queensland’s tourism future with Destination 2045, a visionary roadmap to supercharge the State’s industry into a new era of growth, innovation and global leadership. 

A key focus of the plan will be kick-starting ecotourism, with a bold vision to deliver 45 new ecotourism experiences by 2045, including new dark sky tourism experiences, light footprint accommodation and agritourism. 

The first 45X45 projects will be: the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island, the Wangetti Trail, north of Cairns, the Whitsunday Skyway in Airlie Beach, the Ngaro Trail on Whitsunday Island, and upgrades of day use areas in Lake Eacham and Springbrook National Park. 

Destination 2045 has six strategic priorities designed to supercharge Queensland’s tourism future, including: 

• 45X45 – supporting 45 exciting new ecotourism experiences by 2045, delivering more experiences in nature and showcasing our natural assets. 
• Making Queensland Australia's event capital – attracting world-class events for locals and visitors.  
• Connecting Queensland – a new fund to attract direct flights to new markets, including India, and boosting connections to regional Queensland.  
• More experiences – partnering with industry and targeted investment, including rejuvenating the Great Barrier Reef islands.  
• Home of the holiday – bringing in more visitors through world-class marketing. 
• A big boost for tourism operators – streamlining regulation to empower Queensland tourism businesses to modernise and thrive. 

Destination 2045 aims to more than double the value of visitor expenditure to Queensland’s economy to $84 billion in two decades, while employing 25 per cent more Queenslanders directly. 

To bring more visitors to our State and make it easier for them to travel, the Crisafulli Government will launch a new Connecting Queensland aviation fund, and target more international and domestic tourists. 

A new dedicated events fund will support Queensland’s vision to be Australia’s home of events, across sports, concerts and culture, including in the regions. 

The plan overturns a decade of failure by Labor on tourism, and commits to reverse funding cuts planned under the former Government that would have reduced programs and services. 

The plan builds on tourism’s critical role in Queensland’s economy, which currently supports more than 270,000 jobs and generates $115m a day in visitor expenditure. About nine out of 10 tourism operations are small businesses. 

The plan was shaped by more than 1,500 stakeholders, including major tourism operators, grassroots businesses, local governments, community members and Traditional Owners.