Published Monday, 24 November, 2025 at 11:15 AM

JOINT STATEMENT

Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew Powell

Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business
The Honourable Steve Minnikin

Small business cybercrime prevention extends to tourism sector

  • Small business owners and staff in the tourism industry will now have access to free, industry-specific Cyber Wardens security training. 
  • Tourism operators will be able to protect themselves by learning to identify cyber threats, reduce financial risks and strengthen their cyber resilience. 
  • The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland’s future through the Small and Family Business First Action Statement.  

The Crisafulli Government is delivering free, targeted cyber training to help Queensland’s small and family-run tourism operators shield their businesses from online threats ahead of the summer holidays. 

This initiative builds on the success of the recently launched cyber security training for the construction industry, extending the Crisafulli Government’s commitment to safeguarding small businesses across key sectors. 

In Australia, 43 per cent of cybercrimes target small businesses, with the average cost of a single cyberattack in 2024-25 being $56,600, up 14 per cent from the previous year. 

Cyber security is essential for every tourism business, from protecting online booking systems and guest data, to recognising fake invoices.  

The cyber security support for small business is being provided by the Crisafulli Government after Labor failed in their promise to deliver a similar program. 

The Crisafulli Government is delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy by driving positive outcomes for Queensland businesses through its Small and Family Business First Action Statement. 

The Statement aims to provide targeted financial support, improve the operating business environment and create more than 120,000 additional Queensland businesses over the next seven years. 

Minister for Small and Family Business Steve Minnikin said the Crisafulli Government was dedicated to protecting the state's small business tourism sector. 

“By equipping small tourism businesses with the tools and knowledge to defend against online threats, we’re safeguarding not only their operations but also the jobs, communities, and visitor experiences that make Queensland a world-class destination,” Minister Minnikin said. 

“The Crisafulli Government is dedicated to providing targeted support to ensure businesses are protected from the growing threat of cybercrime.” 

Minister for Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said cyber security was essential for every tourism business. 

“There are more than 65,000 tourism-related businesses across this state, each contributing more than $100 million per day to the state’s visitor economy,” Minister Powell said. 

“With the right tools and support, we can reduce the impact from the threat of cybercrime for these operators.” 

COSBOA Chair Matthew Addison highlighted the importance of protecting tourism businesses from cyber threats to ensure the sector’s resilience. 

“Through this partnership with the Queensland Government, we’re bringing Cyber Wardens training to the heart of the tourism industry, helping operators protect their businesses, their customers, and their communities,” Mr Addison said.   

“Just as tourism operators focus on delivering safe and memorable experiences for visitors, this training ensures their businesses are equally secure in the digital space.” 

The Queensland-first training has been made possible through a partnership between the Crisafulli Government and Cyber Wardens, a national initiative funded by the Australian Government and delivered by COSBOA.   

To register for the Cyber Wardens tourism webinar, visit www.cyberwardens.com.au/qld-gov 

ENDS  

MEDIA CONTACT:   

Minister Minnikin – Andrew Berkman 0429 128 637 

Minister Powell – Dani Sharp 0434 835 487 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The free webinar will allow tourism operators and their teams to be trained to recognise and mitigate threats, reduce financial risks, and strengthen digital defences, which is crucial training as four-in-five small businesses have encountered cybercrime in the past year. 

This training is tailored specifically for staff as research shows 95 per cent of cybercrime results from human error.  

A specialised 30-minute webinar will be held on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 to help small and family businesses in the tourism sector be able to identify:   

  • the biggest cyber security risks targeting tourism small businesses 
  • red flags and warning signs their small business is at risk 
  • everyday habits to implement to become more cyber-safe.   

Queensland is home to 65,000 tourism-related businesses, with 9 in 10 of these being small businesses employing less than 20 people.