TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FUND

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about the Tourism Development Fund.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Our region has a lot to offer, and having a range of accommodation options is important in attracting tourism. Can the minister advise the council how the fund has been used to further tourism on the Limestone Coast?

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) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. As members know, the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) assists with partial funding for tourism infrastructure projects which address gaps and add to the tourism product available in key areas of the state. This assistance is provided through the Tourism Development Fund.

The fund addresses two key areas of the South Australian Tourism Plan: namely Strategy 3, which seeks to create new and refreshed tourism developments in South Australia, and Strategy 7, which aims to encourage investment in South Australia's tourism assets and experiences. Applicants must highlight the tourism outcomes of their respective projects and how the project will contribute towards the tourism objective in South Australia's strategic plan which seeks to achieve $8 billion in annual tourism expenditure by 2020.

Proposals for funding must meet certain criteria, time lines and reporting requirements. I am pleased to advise the chamber that SATC has recently provided a grant of $105,000 to The Barn in Mount Gambier. This funding will support the development of 14 premium suites—a project that will take The Barn's total number of rooms to 45. The Barn offers high-quality, spacious rooms that have earned an excellent reputation, and it is hoped that the grant will help boost Limestone Coast visitor numbers. New suites supported by the fund will assist South Australia to reach its target for domestic high-yield travellers while also offering the important markets, such as the growing Asian one, a luxury regional experience.

The Limestone Coast Destination Action Plan 2012-15 was launched in June and recommends that 115 new 4-star plus rooms be built to cater for increased visitor demand. The Barn's new rooms will certainly help in this regard. Further, those new suites should help the SATC achieve its goal of increasing visitor expenditure within South Australia's total tourism industry to $8 billion by 2020.

As members may recall, the Destination Action Plans (DAPs) are key for the SATC and the 2012-13 year will see a real focus on the implementation of those plans which are being produced for each of the state's non-metropolitan regions. Eight DAPs have been launched. Twelve will produced in total, with the Flinders Ranges and Outback to each their own DAP. All of these plans include a list of actions that the SATC and regional tourism stakeholders feels are achievable during the next three years.

Priority areas are established in each DAP, and I am sure that members will not be surprised to learn that food and wine are a major focus, along with other tourism experiences like cycling, adventure, coastal landscapes and the arts. Destination Action Plans are also firmly focused on upgrading and expanding the quality of South Australian accommodation. The Limestone Coast is not alone in the need to upgrade accommodation. It gives me great pleasure to wish The Barn every success with their upgrade.