TOURISM 2020 NEWS ISSUE 10, JULY 2014 1 Austrade Quarterly Tourism Newsletter TOURISM MINISTERS' MEETING -11 JULY 2014
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TOURISM 2020 NEWS ISSUE 10, JULY 2014 TOURISM MINISTERS’ MEETING -11 JULY 2014 TOURISM MINISTERS’ MEETING JULY 2014 Austrade Quarterly Tourism Minister Andrew Robb AO Newsletter MP, hosted the Tourism HIGHLIGHTS Ministers’ Meeting in TOURISM MINISTER’S MEETING Melbourne on 11 July 2014. Tourism Ministers’ Meeting Page 1 Ministers discussed Tourism 2020 Implementation Plan Tourism 2020 and the game 2014 BUDGET changing reforms needed Key Budget Outcomes for Tourism Page 2 ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT AND IMPLEMENT to meet the Tourism 2020 REGULATORY REFORM potential. Northern Australia Investment Forum 2015 Minister Robb and the New Tourism: A National Investment Priority Minister Andrew Robb with New Zealand's Associate Tourism Zealand's Associate LABOUR, SKILLS & INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION Minister Todd McClay at the Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Tourism Minister Todd Chefs on the Skilled Occupation List Page 3 Melbourne with the ICC Cricket World Cup McClay MP discussed ways Launch of MPPI Tourism Employment Plan Australia and New Zealand can work together to maximise the tourism Sydney Tourism Employment Plan opportunities stemming from the ICC World Cup 2015 tournament. Minister Greece - Work and Holiday Arrangement ACCREDITATION Robb said the streamlined visa arrangements between the Australian and New Zealand Governments allows international visitors attending the World Tourism Industry Quality Standards Continue Page 4 TOURISM DEMAND-DRIVER INFRASTRUCTURE Cup the convenience of applying for a visa only once in order to be granted PROGRAMME entry into both countries. Tourism Demand Driver Infrastructure Programme "This is a major international sporting event which will bring major benefits TOURISM RESEARCH for our tourism and hospitality sectors," he said. Fourteen cities across Research Update Page 5 Australia and New Zealand will host 49 ICC Cricket World Cup matches over TOURISM AUSTRALIA February and March of 2015 and all of these cities will benefit from a major Restaurant Australia Campaign influx of international visitors. Tourism Australia Board TOURISM MINISTERS’ MEETING - TOURISM 2020 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (2015-2020) UPDATE Key outcomes from the Tourism Ministers’ Meeting on 11 July included Ministers endorsing: game changing reform priorities to be developed as part of a Tourism 2020 Implementation Plan (2015-2020) (the Plan); the second Tourism Collaboration Intergovernmental Agreement providing a formal mechanism for intergovernmental cooperation to address tourism issues of national significance until 2020; the funding principles and mechanisms for the $43 million, four year Tourism Demand-Driver Infrastructure Programme; and the work-plan for Indigenous tourism. The Communiqué is available at www.tourism.gov.au. Tourism 2020 Implementation Plan (2015-2020) The Chairs of the National Tourism Alliance (NTA), Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF), Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) and the Australian Regional Tourism Network (ARTN) presented proposed game changing reform priorities to achieve the upper range of the Tourism 2020 Potential. These priorities were developed with States and Territories, and in consultation with over 160 industry leaders. Tourism Ministers agreed to the development of the Plan. The priorities include: Cross portfolio commitment within all levels of Australian Governments; Improved visa arrangements; Improved airports experience and aviation capacity; and Integration of national and state tourism plans into regional development and local government planning. Ministers agreed some jurisdictions may wish to consider a role for industry to bring forward a case for a more flexible labour system. Ministers also agreed that the Plan should recognise the importance of marketing and that responsibility for this should be shared with Government and industry. The Tourism 2020 Implementation Plan Steering Group (which includes representatives from Austrade, Tourism Australia, State Tourism Organisations, NTA, TTF, ATEC and ARTN) will develop the final plan to be endorsed by Ministers at the next TMM. The draft game changing reform priorities matrices are available at www.tourism.gov.au. 1 TOURISM 2020 NEWS, ISSUE 10, JULY 2014 2014 BUDGET KEY BUDGET OUTCOMES FOR TOURISM On 13 May 2014 the Treasurer Joe Hockey MP handed down the budget which outlined key initiatives for tourism including: $43 million for the Tourism Demand-Driver Infrastructure Programme to support the states and territories to develop key tourism infrastructure to stimulate tourism demand in their states, territories, cities and regions. $10 million for the Australia-China Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme, to further improve the visitor experiences of Chinese tourists. China is Australia’s biggest tourism market worth more than $4 billion annually. $2 million to support the staging of the successful Australia Week in China (AWIC) again in 2016, the promotion of our tourism brand is a key component of AWIC. Funding support of $143 million to Tourism Australia. The Budget builds on Government’s other early tourism achievements, which include: the elevation of tourism to Cabinet level alongside foreign affairs and trade; freezing the Passenger Movement Charge; announcing multiple entry three-year visas for Chinese business visitors; approving additional air access into Australia during Chinese New Year to cater for increased visitor demand; announcing a trial to allow Singaporean e-passport holders to use SmartGate self-processing facilities in Australia’s eight major airports; allowing international visitors attending the Cricket World Cup in 2015 in Australia and New Zealand to utilise a single visa; ruling out a night-time curfew at Brisbane Airport; staging of a series of senior international investment roundtables abroad with a focus on high-grade tourism infrastructure in Australia; and making a decision in regard to a second Sydney airport. ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT AND REGULATORY REFORM NORTHERN AUSTRALIA INVESTMENT FORUM 2015 TOURISM: A NATIONAL INVESTMENT PRIORITY Minister Andrew Robb AO MP Austrade and Tourism Australia have been working with recently announced in state and territory counterparts since 2012 to promote Townsville the Government investment in Australia’s tourism sector. In line with Tourism will host a Northern Australia 2020 objectives, the partnership targets investment in short- Investment Forum in the term accommodation (specifically new rooms in capital cities second half of 2015. and refurbished room stock in regional areas) and large scale This would bring together tourism infrastructure including new leisure attractions and international investors to experiences. promote and secure Since 2012, the partnership have facilitated nine investment investment in Northern outcomes, with investors committing approximately $1.14 Australia. Mr Robb said that billion to create over 1,600 new rooms and upgrade almost Northern Australia will be a centre of international 550 existing rooms and villas. investment due to the potential for large-scale international projects to be built across hundreds of With demand for travel to Australia forecasted to increase thousands of hectares of arable soil land in diverse steadily during 2014-15*, the Government will continue to sectors. work with industry to ensure it is well equip to meet increased demand for quality tourism products and Mr Robb also said the development of Australia’s north experiences. presented an opportunity to grow the northern international tourism market to two million visitors a * Tourism Forecasts, Tourism Research Australia, Autumn year by 2030. Minister Robb said that “this level of 2014 growth will provide further opportunity for Australia’s Indigenous people. As we create a policy environment that welcomes foreign investment to drive development in the North, more opportunity for Indigenous Australia will result, not just in tourism, resources and energy sectors. It will occur across all of the investment sectors such as agriculture, agribusiness, aquaculture, water infrastructure, and all of the infrastructure and services that will support these developments.”. 2 TOURISM 2020 NEWS, ISSUE 10, JULY 2014 INCREASE SUPPLY OF LABOUR, SKILLS AND INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION CHEFS ON THE SKILLED OCCUPATION LIST The Australian Government has announced that chefs have been included on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), which commenced 1 July 2014. This reform will give industry greater access to qualified international chefs where they cannot be sourced locally. Minister Andrew Robb AO MP and Senator Michaelia Cash, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection’s announcement is a significant win for the tourism industry. Austrade and industry have been working together for many years to advocate for the inclusion of chefs on the SOL to address shortages in the local labour market. The SOL is used for people applying for the Independent or Family Sponsored Points Tested visa or Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream. Further information on the SOL is at www.immi.gov.au. RELEASE OF PHILLIP ISLAND AND MORNINGTON PENINSULA SYDNEY TOURISM EMPLOYMENT PLAN TOURISM EMPLOYMENT PLAN FINALISED On 10 July 2014 The Sydney Tourism Employment Plan (TEP) has Minister Andrew Robb been successfully finalised and was officially AO MP and Victorian launched on 23 May 2014. Three industry-led Minister for Tourism working groups are now in the process of and Major Events implementing the 16 strategies identified in the Louise