Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Question Time Tourism Statistics TOURISM STATISTICS The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council TOURISM STATISTICS The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government, representing the Minister for Tourism, a question about recent ABS tourism statistics. Leave granted. The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I draw members' attention to the latest accommodation figures released by the ABS. These figures were not at all positive and were, in fact, quite worrying. I was somewhat surprised yesterday to read about the tourism minister's take on these very same figures. Yesterday, the minister tried to spin some positives out of the numbers while ignoring the fact that South Australia had the equal lowest bed occupancy rate for hotels, motels and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms in mainland Australia; the lowest site occupancy rate for caravan parks in mainland Australia; and the lowest bed occupancy rate for hostels in mainland Australia. My question is: will the minister acknowledge that we are obviously failing in the domestic and youth tourism markets; and, rather than being in denial, what marketing strategies will the minister implement to lift her game? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:21): I will refer the honourable member's question to the Minister for Tourism in another place and bring back a response.