Question Time

TOURISM COMMISSION

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question in relation to the Tourism Commission's destination development team.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Tourism, said the Deputy Premier last October, is one of South Australia's most important industries. It generates $4.5 billion within the state each year and employs more than 50,000 people. The State Strategic Plan aims to make tourism a $6.3 billion industry in 2014. The Deputy Premier also said in October that the South Australian Tourism Commission's destination development team will 'continue to encourage new tourism development experiences'.

The destination development team is a crucial part of the South Australian Tourism Commission. It identifies new tourism opportunities and product gaps and lets existing tourism operators know about these gaps so the industry can grow. The tourism minister herself built on those expectations when she said the new product support program would provide professional support and find profitable strategic new tours and attractions across the state.

This financial year the South Australian Tourism Commission allocated $1.5 million for destination development. I now hear from a reliable source that among the many cuts that SATC has to make because of the lack of government funding are jobs in destination development. I am led to believe that experienced development officers in particular will be targeted. My questions to the minister are:

1. Were regional tourism officers told that SATC's regional review would mean specialist development officers in head office?

2. Because of those promises, were regional operators persuaded to relinquish their own regionally-based development officers?

3. Will these cuts further erode confidence in SATC, leaving it with a focus on marketing at the expense of product development?

4. If so, what new products will you have to promote in a few years' time?

5. Might it not be better to pay the salaries to keep some excellent people in destination development even if that means relinquishing the position of another Tourism Commission spin doctor?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. In 2010-11 the SATC undertook a major review of the regional tourism arrangements under the Regional Tourism Growth Plan, the first such review in approximately a decade. The review led to major changes in regional structures and that commenced, I am advised, around 1 July last year.

As part of those changes under the plan, 11 specialist positions were established within the SATC. The new specialist positions, I am advised, focus on regional marketing campaigns targeted at South Australians (I understand that is three FTEs); supporting operators to become bookable online and assisting visitor information centres to become more commercial; developing new commercial experiences and infrastructure; and developing SATC's partnership with regional stakeholders.

I am advised that the new model involves a high level of integration of all SATC areas of expertise and resources in the development and marketing of regions. In 2010-11 the regional tourism organisations received $2.285 million from the SATC and in 2011-12 the SATC's regionally focused expenditure stands at $2.31 million. In fact, under this new model, the SATC has been able to refocus regional intrastate marketing expenditure and this has actually increased significantly, I am advised—up from $662,000 in 2010-11 to $1.4 million in 2011-12.

I am advised that the SATC (apart from the 11 FTEs) has also allocated $200,000 under a once-off Destination Development Fund to enable the RTO boards to initiate projects and I am advised that they enjoy very strong support from within their local tourism industry. I have been advised that 11 grants have been provided to almost all regions for a wide range of different projects due for completion in mid-2012.

Some of those successful projects include several web-based initiatives; several interpretive training and planning projects; a scoping study of how the Outback can continue to flourish after the water leaves Lake Eyre; a pre and post-conference program; a regional brand development strategy; and an itinerary planning project. The focus is on achieving five key outcomes: more consumer marketing; coordinated visitor guide production; destination action plans; a more sales-orientated visitor information centre network; and industry training in the take-up of online booking systems.

I am advised that $1.4 million per year will be spent by the SATC promoting the key experience themes of food and wine, coastal areas, river, landscapes and journeys in a campaign to stimulate South Australians to travel to the state's regions. I have spoken about that emphasis before in this place. Given some of the issues around our Australian dollar, we have now put a very strong focus, for the time being, on encouraging South Australians and also, obviously, interstate visitors to visit the regions.