Western Queensland tourism operators hope to see their area turn out to be a worldwide chief in ecotourism, a hub for mega occasions, and a well-connected worldwide vacation spot.
The brand new tourism plan for Queensland, ‘Vacation spot 2045: Queensland’s Tourism Future‘, is hoping to encourage extra guests to expertise the magic of the Queensland outback – from the Dinosaur Superhighway, to the thrill of star gazing and the Milky Approach.
Minister for the Setting and Tourism Andrew Powell mentioned Vacation spot 2045 set a brand new benchmark for Queensland’s tourism trade.
“From the enduring Mount Isa Rodeo to cruising down the Thomson River, Western Queensland will not be solely enormous in measurement – it’s enormous in experiences,” mentioned Minister Powell.
The long-term plain goals to supercharge the State’s tourism trade into a brand new period of progress, sustainability and international management in ecotourism.
The Outback is on the forefront of Vacation spot 2045, with a spread of tourism tasks promised for Western Queensland together with:.
- Darkish Sky Tourism: Investigating Darkish Sky accreditation in appropriate places throughout Western Queensland to safeguard night time skies and supply alternatives for guests to expertise the night time sky.
- Reworking Conservation Properties Into Nationwide Parks: These new parks can be vital tourism property for the area, significantly for drive tourism, increasing the prevailing variety of sights and attracting guests to the broader area.
- Boodjamulla – Garden Hill Gorge: Revitalising the realm situated north-west of Mt Isa after the 2023 floods, with restored customer amenities, upgraded strolling tracks, and important infrastructure enhancements.
- Improved Connectivity: new Connecting Queensland fund supporting higher intrastate connections.
- Rising Agritourism: Extra agritourism experiences like farm stays and paddock-to-plate choices, serving to famers enhance profitability.
- Progress in Occasions: The plan requires extra occasions within the areas together with Western Queensland.
Vacation spot 2045 goals to greater than double the worth of customer expenditure to Queensland’s economic system to $84 billion in 20 years, whereas using 25 per cent extra Queenslanders immediately.
The plan builds on tourism’s essential position in Queensland’s economic system, which at present helps greater than 270,000 jobs and generates $115m a day in customer expenditure. About 9 out of 10 tourism operations are small companies.
Western Queensland is well-known for its dinosaur tourism, but additionally house to in style sights just like the Qantas Founders Museum and the Stockman’s Corridor of Fame, each in Longreach.
“Dinosaur tourism is a big alternative for Queensland, anticipated to generate $82 million and help 1,373 full-time workers within the subsequent 15 years,” mentioned Minister Powell.
“From digging into our dinosaur historical past to gazing up on the world’s clearest night time skies – Vacation spot 2045 will unlock Western Queensland’s tourism potential.”
Major Picture: Jay Wennington on Unsplash
