What is tourism?
Why is tourism important for Australia?
How is RET involved?
Related links
What is tourism?
Tourism is a diverse industry, compromising travel and a broad range of activities that provide services for tourists.
On the demand side, tourism comprises travel and visitation by Australians and overseas visitors. This visitation can be for leisure, business, employment or education.
On the supply side, tourism comprises all of the inter-related activities that are required to produce goods and services for consumption by tourists. This includes transport, accommodation, education, retailing, cultural and recreational services.
Why is tourism important for Australia?
Tourism is a significant industry for Australia. It generates $94 billion in spending and contributes nearly $34 billion to Australia's GDP, directly employs over 500 000 people and earns nearly 10 per cent of our total export earnings, making it Australia’s largest service export industry.
It helps to fund critical economic infrastructure like airports, roads and hotels, and also plays an important role in the economic development of regional Australia, with 46 cents in every tourist dollar spent in regional Australia.
How is RET involved?
The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) works on a range of tourism policy, projects, programs and research to strengthen Australia's tourism industry and to grow Australia's tourism market share in a volatile and competitive global environment.
The leading economics and research body covering tourism for the Australian Government—Tourism Research Australia—is located within the department.
National Long-Term Tourism Strategy
The National Long-Term Tourism Strategy focuses on supply-side reforms, including removing barriers to investment, addressing labour and skills gaps, improving the quality of Australia's tourism products and services and enhanced tourism research. Tourism 2020 was released on 6 December 2011 as an update to the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy and integrates its reform agenda with the growth aspirations of the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential.
2020 Tourism Industry Potential
Published in November 2010, this four page document explains what a successful Australian tourism industry will look like in 2020.
T-QUAL
T-QUAL programs focus on improving the quality of tourism products and services on offer in the Australian tourism industry. T-QUAL programs support Australian businesses to provide high-quality services to travellers who travel in Australia.
China Approved Destination Status (ADS) Scheme
The China ADS Scheme underpins the growing Chinese inbound tourism market. The ADS Scheme allows Australia to host group leisure tour groups from China and permits the Australian Government, through Tourism Australia, to promote Australia as a leisure travel destination in China.
Tourism Research Australia
Tourism Research Australia provides statistics, research and analysis to support industry development, policy development and marketing for the Australian tourism industry.
Related links