Published Friday, 04 May, 2007 at 05:15 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
QUEENSLAND RAMPS-UP TOURIST PROMOTION IN KOREA: PREMIER
SEOUL: Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today announced a $100,000 funding boost to attract more Korean tourists to Queensland.
Mr Beattie, on the second leg of a three-nation trade and investment mission, said the funding would complement Korean Air’s new flights to the Smart State.
“Korea is an increasingly important market for our State’s tourism industry and this funding is an investment in Queensland,” Mr Beattie said.
“The funding will support marketing campaigns to promote five flights a week from Seoul to Brisbane, as well as Korean Air’s special charter flights to Cairns which will run
in July and August.”
The charter flights are expected to inject up to $8 million into the Cairns regional economy.
“That’s a great return on our investment,” Mr Beattie said.
“Korea is our sixth largest international source market, with more than 83,000 Koreans visiting our State in the year ending December 2006 – a rise of 7 per cent compared to the previous year.
“By 2015, it’s estimated the South Korean market for Australia could grow to almost 400,000 visitors.”
Korea has also been identified under the State Government’s 10-year $48 million Queensland Tourism Strategy as a key emerging market to nurture tourism in.
“The strategy identified that by 2016, expenditure from Korea into the Smart State could more than double.”
Mr Beattie said Korean visitors spent close to $190 million in Queensland last year alone.
“Figures like this are significant and show just how timely the new marketing campaign will be in promoting Queensland’s many unique tourist attractions,” Mr Beattie said.
Mr Beattie said that on average, the State Government invests a total of $300,000 each year on tourism marketing into Korea.
Today’s announcement would be jointly funded by the State Government and the Tropical North Queensland tourism industry.
“The new Cairns charter flights will give Korean visitors nine special flights to our stunning Tropical North over four weeks during their summer holidays,” Mr Beattie said.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Rob Giason said TTNQ welcomed the State Government’s announcement and thanked the Premier for his support.
“Nine Korean Air charter flights last year brought around 2,000 Korean visitors here and the additional flights this year signal Korean Air’s growing confidence in our destination,” Mr Giason said.
“TTNQ and the Cairns Port Authority are contributing to a Tropical North Queensland-specific Korean Air marketing campaign in collaboration with Tourism Queensland ahead of the charter flights,” he said.
“TTNQ representatives will travel to Korea this month to join with Tourism Queensland for in-market sales calls and meetings with agents on associated programs.”
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 07 3224 4500
4 May 2007
Mr Beattie, on the second leg of a three-nation trade and investment mission, said the funding would complement Korean Air’s new flights to the Smart State.
“Korea is an increasingly important market for our State’s tourism industry and this funding is an investment in Queensland,” Mr Beattie said.
“The funding will support marketing campaigns to promote five flights a week from Seoul to Brisbane, as well as Korean Air’s special charter flights to Cairns which will run
in July and August.”
The charter flights are expected to inject up to $8 million into the Cairns regional economy.
“That’s a great return on our investment,” Mr Beattie said.
“Korea is our sixth largest international source market, with more than 83,000 Koreans visiting our State in the year ending December 2006 – a rise of 7 per cent compared to the previous year.
“By 2015, it’s estimated the South Korean market for Australia could grow to almost 400,000 visitors.”
Korea has also been identified under the State Government’s 10-year $48 million Queensland Tourism Strategy as a key emerging market to nurture tourism in.
“The strategy identified that by 2016, expenditure from Korea into the Smart State could more than double.”
Mr Beattie said Korean visitors spent close to $190 million in Queensland last year alone.
“Figures like this are significant and show just how timely the new marketing campaign will be in promoting Queensland’s many unique tourist attractions,” Mr Beattie said.
Mr Beattie said that on average, the State Government invests a total of $300,000 each year on tourism marketing into Korea.
Today’s announcement would be jointly funded by the State Government and the Tropical North Queensland tourism industry.
“The new Cairns charter flights will give Korean visitors nine special flights to our stunning Tropical North over four weeks during their summer holidays,” Mr Beattie said.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Rob Giason said TTNQ welcomed the State Government’s announcement and thanked the Premier for his support.
“Nine Korean Air charter flights last year brought around 2,000 Korean visitors here and the additional flights this year signal Korean Air’s growing confidence in our destination,” Mr Giason said.
“TTNQ and the Cairns Port Authority are contributing to a Tropical North Queensland-specific Korean Air marketing campaign in collaboration with Tourism Queensland ahead of the charter flights,” he said.
“TTNQ representatives will travel to Korea this month to join with Tourism Queensland for in-market sales calls and meetings with agents on associated programs.”
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 07 3224 4500
4 May 2007