Published Thursday, 02 August, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading, Wine Industry Development and Women
The Honourable Margaret Keech
REGIONAL COUNCILS TO BENEFIT TOURISM (CORRECTION)
RE-SENDING WITH CORRECTED FINAL PARAGRAPH
The Noosa and Port Douglas communities have nothing to fear from being part of larger regional councils, Tourism Minister, Margaret Keech, said today.
Mrs Keech said the international attraction of the two areas doesn’t depend on council boundaries, and the establishment of the regional councils will have no detrimental effect on their tourism industries.
“The Beattie Government will not allow the very things that make Noosa and Port Douglas so unique and so attractive to tourists to be degraded,” she said.
“Noosa will always be Noosa and Port Douglas will retain its magnetic attraction to tourists.
“More harm to tourism will be done potentially through scaremongering tactics aimed at protecting localised interests.
“The State Government recognises the unique natural attraction of Queensland’s tourist destinations, and is committed to working with local government and the tourism industry to make sure they aren’t damaged by overdevelopment.
“The formation of larger councils will allow them to pool resources and market themselves as a destination, a region, rather than separate entities fighting for the same tourist dollar.
“I encourage all councils and regional tourist organisations to focus on the significant benefits there will be for the tourism industry from regional councils.
“The formation of larger councils will help the industry ‘streamline’ campaigns designed to attract tourists, giving them more bang for their marketing buck.
“It will also support the development and promotion of regional and themed tourist experiences to attract visitors.”
Mrs Keech said that more coordinated destination marketing is a key initiative of the $48 million, 10-year Queensland Tourism Strategy.
“Under the Tourism Strategy, we are going to develop a Local Government Tourism Strategy,” she said.
“We work closely with councils on the provision of tourism infrastructure, to increase awareness of the industry within local government and aligning tourism opportunities with local government planning.”
“It’s really important that Queensland keeps pace with the massive population growth and the economic boom we have experienced in recent years.
“Queensland’s tourism industry provides about 140,000 jobs throughout our regions, and a lot of them are on the Sunshine Coast and in Far North Queensland.
“A strong and sustainable tourism industry relies on strong and efficient local government – that’s exactly what amalgamated regional councils will deliver.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3225 1005 / (0439) 761 416
The Noosa and Port Douglas communities have nothing to fear from being part of larger regional councils, Tourism Minister, Margaret Keech, said today.
Mrs Keech said the international attraction of the two areas doesn’t depend on council boundaries, and the establishment of the regional councils will have no detrimental effect on their tourism industries.
“The Beattie Government will not allow the very things that make Noosa and Port Douglas so unique and so attractive to tourists to be degraded,” she said.
“Noosa will always be Noosa and Port Douglas will retain its magnetic attraction to tourists.
“More harm to tourism will be done potentially through scaremongering tactics aimed at protecting localised interests.
“The State Government recognises the unique natural attraction of Queensland’s tourist destinations, and is committed to working with local government and the tourism industry to make sure they aren’t damaged by overdevelopment.
“The formation of larger councils will allow them to pool resources and market themselves as a destination, a region, rather than separate entities fighting for the same tourist dollar.
“I encourage all councils and regional tourist organisations to focus on the significant benefits there will be for the tourism industry from regional councils.
“The formation of larger councils will help the industry ‘streamline’ campaigns designed to attract tourists, giving them more bang for their marketing buck.
“It will also support the development and promotion of regional and themed tourist experiences to attract visitors.”
Mrs Keech said that more coordinated destination marketing is a key initiative of the $48 million, 10-year Queensland Tourism Strategy.
“Under the Tourism Strategy, we are going to develop a Local Government Tourism Strategy,” she said.
“We work closely with councils on the provision of tourism infrastructure, to increase awareness of the industry within local government and aligning tourism opportunities with local government planning.”
“It’s really important that Queensland keeps pace with the massive population growth and the economic boom we have experienced in recent years.
“Queensland’s tourism industry provides about 140,000 jobs throughout our regions, and a lot of them are on the Sunshine Coast and in Far North Queensland.
“A strong and sustainable tourism industry relies on strong and efficient local government – that’s exactly what amalgamated regional councils will deliver.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3225 1005 / (0439) 761 416