The National Long-Term Tourism Strategy was launched in December 2009, followed by the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential in November 2010. The National Long-Term Tourism Strategy is being updated and sharpened since its launch to more closely align the strategy with the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential. Tourism 2020 marks a further milestone in Australian tourism policy. It represents an integration of the long term focus, research and collaboration commenced under the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy with the growth aspirations of the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential. Tourism 2020 builds on this foundation to support industry to maximise its economic potential. Tourism 2020 represents an unprecedented level of cooperation between industry and the Australian and state and territory governments to address the barriers to industry growth. It is a whole of government approach to improve the industry’s productive capacity. It focuses on creating a policy framework that will support industry growth and provide industry with the tools to compete more effectively in the global economy and to take advantage of the opportunities that Asia presents.
The importance of tourism 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% 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 provides the people-to-people linkages to Australia’s international interests. It also plays an important role in the economic development of regional Australia, with 46 cents in every tourist dollar spent in regional Australia.