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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-13 Daily Xml
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BACKPACKERS

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Regional Development, representing the Minister for Tourism, questions about the drop in backpacker visitors to South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Figures released last week by Tourism Research Australia show that the number of backpackers visiting this state has dropped by 11,000 in the past 12 months and 15,000 annually since 2007. This dramatic fall corresponds with a 4,000 person increase in Tasmania and an 8,000 person increase in Western Australia. It is interesting to note that the total backpacker visitors to Australia has remained steady over the last 12 months and has increased by 27,000 annually since 2007, so, using the 2007 figure as a standard, this government has overseen a loss of approximately 40,000 potential visitors to this state and all the dollars that they would have spent.

I have consulted with numerous tourism operators, particularly those in the backpacker market, and they are of the belief that the reality is far worse than the official figures suggest and that the drop in backpackers could be as high as 20 per cent, both in terms of visitors and dollars. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister recognise the seriousness of these figures?

2. What is the minister doing to better market the state to backpackers and young people, both in this country and abroad?

3. Will the minister concede that the government has failed in tourism marketing and is a long way from reaching its target of $6.3 billion in visitor expenditure by 2014?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for his important questions and will refer them to the Minister for Tourism in another place and bring back a response.

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