CAPE YORK AND TORRES STRAIT DRAFT TOURISM PLAN
Published Thursday, 09 August, 2007 at 10:50 AM
Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading, Wine Industry Development and Women
The Honourable Margaret Keech
A draft action plan to tap into the enormous tourism potential of Cape York and the Torres Strait released today will also have significant economic benefits for the two regions.
Tourism Minister, Margaret Keech, said the Cape York and Torres Strait Tourism Development Action Plan, once fully implemented, would deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for Indigenous Queenslanders living in the region.
“A priority will be the generation of opportunities for locally-owned and managed sustainable businesses and partnerships with existing tourism operators, while at the same time preserving and protecting local culture, traditions and environmental values,” Mrs Keech said.
“The draft plan was developed after extensive consultation with the tourism industry and Cape York and Torres Strait communities.
“A major focus is to increase the involvement of the local Indigenous peoples in all facets of tourism in Cape York and the Torres Strait.
“All 145 actions in the draft plan are important to the long-term sustainable development of tourism in the regions, and should be viewed as a package of linked and coordinated initiatives.
“However, several key actions will provide the impetus for the successful implementation of all actions.
“We will be working with communities, agencies and industry to identify bush camping and other ecotourism opportunities across the Cape, including in national parks.”
Mrs Keech said the draft plan provided a framework to identify and progress a range of sustainable Indigenous tourism opportunities in the Cape, including:
• redeveloping the Pajinka Wilderness Lodge site to assist the Injinoo Aboriginal Corporation address basic infrastructure needs for the site;
• assist the Mapoon Aboriginal Community to enhance the turtle conservation project through marketing and expansion into sport fishing accommodation; and
• development and promotion of the Mitchell River Loop Road for the Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw communities as a Cape York touring experience.
“The Cape York and Torres Strait Action Plan is an important initiative of the State Government’s $48 million, 10-year Queensland Tourism Strategy (QTS), dedicated to securing the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the State tourism industry’s future,” she said.
“Under the QTS, significant focus has been placed on the importance of Queensland’s unique natural and cultural assets.
“Through the development of this new action plan, we are ensuring Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait tourism has a significant role in the State’s second largest export market.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3225 1005
Tourism Minister, Margaret Keech, said the Cape York and Torres Strait Tourism Development Action Plan, once fully implemented, would deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for Indigenous Queenslanders living in the region.
“A priority will be the generation of opportunities for locally-owned and managed sustainable businesses and partnerships with existing tourism operators, while at the same time preserving and protecting local culture, traditions and environmental values,” Mrs Keech said.
“The draft plan was developed after extensive consultation with the tourism industry and Cape York and Torres Strait communities.
“A major focus is to increase the involvement of the local Indigenous peoples in all facets of tourism in Cape York and the Torres Strait.
“All 145 actions in the draft plan are important to the long-term sustainable development of tourism in the regions, and should be viewed as a package of linked and coordinated initiatives.
“However, several key actions will provide the impetus for the successful implementation of all actions.
“We will be working with communities, agencies and industry to identify bush camping and other ecotourism opportunities across the Cape, including in national parks.”
Mrs Keech said the draft plan provided a framework to identify and progress a range of sustainable Indigenous tourism opportunities in the Cape, including:
• redeveloping the Pajinka Wilderness Lodge site to assist the Injinoo Aboriginal Corporation address basic infrastructure needs for the site;
• assist the Mapoon Aboriginal Community to enhance the turtle conservation project through marketing and expansion into sport fishing accommodation; and
• development and promotion of the Mitchell River Loop Road for the Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw communities as a Cape York touring experience.
“The Cape York and Torres Strait Action Plan is an important initiative of the State Government’s $48 million, 10-year Queensland Tourism Strategy (QTS), dedicated to securing the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the State tourism industry’s future,” she said.
“Under the QTS, significant focus has been placed on the importance of Queensland’s unique natural and cultural assets.
“Through the development of this new action plan, we are ensuring Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait tourism has a significant role in the State’s second largest export market.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3225 1005