Page 1940 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 24 October 1989
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that is straight up is very dangerous. So we have got a lot of difficulties with them. As I say, we have got people looking at them at the moment to give us an estimate on them.
MULTICULTURAL MARKETING
Ministerial Statement and Paper
MR WHALAN (Minister for Industry, Employment and Education), by leave: I wish to speak today on the marketing of Canberra as a tourist and convention destination. The Government and indeed this Assembly have consistently reinforced the important role the tourism industry plays in the ACT economy. Our ability to ensure that the role is enhanced is directly dependent on the success of the marketing and promotion of the Territory. In recognition of this the Government, in a very difficult economic climate, has taken the far-sighted initiative to increase the Tourist Bureau's promotion budget by over 100 per cent to $1.94m.
The bureau has been asked to prepare a comprehensive marketing strategy, and this strategy is being prepared in consultation with the tourist industry. After extensive discussions with the Tourism Industry Advisory Committee, a marketing plan has now been prepared and has been well received by the industry. The important element of that plan is to identify new and lucrative markets and to target these markets in an innovative and cost-effective manner. I would like to focus on one element of that approach - the multicultural marketing strategy.
For the first time in Australian tourism a government instrumentality has developed a marketing strategy aimed specifically at the ethnic communities - a previously untapped market, the size of which is quite staggering. Forty per cent of Australians are either born overseas or come from non-English speaking backgrounds. They gather in a large number of clubs and associations around Australia, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, both of which cities constitute Canberra's largest market. Most importantly, these groups rely heavily on the multicultural media for information.
Of course the entire international market is there for the taking as the capacity to attract more international visitors will be greatly enhanced through the strategy which is centred on promoting Canberra's cultural diversity to show Canberra as a dynamic, colourful and cosmopolitan city.
As I am sure members will appreciate, Canberra has a thriving ethnic community with over 70 countries maintaining diplomatic missions and 20 ethnic clubs. We are truly a multicultural community. It is therefore appropriate that we mount a campaign to attract the ethnic
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