Page 1561 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 April 2013
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obviously has a particular focus for us in that task of destination marketing, brand awareness and changing perceptions, and I certainly look forward later in the year to the launch of the new Canberra brand.
In November of last year I announced that Australian Capital Tourism will lead the development of an industry focused strategic plan for the ACT and region’s tourism sector from 2013 to 2020. So we are at the conclusion of the five-year strategic plan that encompasses events, tourism, accommodation—all of those areas that Mr Smyth has been calling for—and we are about to embark on a new strategic planning process for seven years, 2013 to 2020.
I can assure the shadow tourism minister, because he has obviously not paid much attention to these developments, that the government is committed to ensuring that the region continues to provide world-class experiences for visitors, and as such this strategic plan will ensure that the ACT can take advantage of the opportunities that the centenary year presents, including the legacy of what is, I think without doubt, the biggest year in events the city has ever seen, to capitalise on significant infrastructure projects, probably the most significant of which for tourism and events is the $420 million Canberra airport redevelopment, and I have spoken in question time about next steps to pursue international flights.
The strategic plan will focus on implementing programs that align strongly with the federal government’s tourism 2020 vision, which has an ambitious target of doubling overnight expenditure in Australia and consequently in each jurisdiction by 2020. The strategy will consider both the supply and demand issues that need to be focused on, including labour and skills, investment and regulatory reform, boosting demand domestically and from key international markets such as South-East Asia and New Zealand, and focusing importantly on our industry’s digital capability.
Australian Capital Tourism will be undertaking an extensive consultation process in preparation of the strategic plan and will of course be working directly with key industry groups.
In his comments Mr Smyth observed some observations from the shadow arts minister in relation to there allegedly not being promotion of local arts events, community activities, on ACT government tourism promotion websites. But a quick look at the Visit Canberra website and the Events ACT website demonstrate that that is far from the truth and that a large number of local events are publicised extensively, both in our digital presence and in written material that is available for visitors to the city through the visitors centre and other information booths.
The program of events coming up in this centenary year is significant. This weekend, of course, there is the Australian Running Festival, as Ms Berry indicated. For the first time the Australian Rugby League team will be playing in Canberra the following weekend. We have the British and Irish Lions. We have the AFL hall of fame dinner. It will be the first time that dinner has not been held in Melbourne; it is going to be here in Canberra in our centenary year. We have a netball test match between Australia and New Zealand and of course we have already successfully hosted the women’s Australian golf open and a one-day international between Australia and the West Indies.
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