New data shows a strong rebound for regional tourism

Data released today shows the strength of our tourism industry across Australia, supporting more businesses, more jobs and more opportunities for locals in regional areas.

Today’s data highlights the economic value of tourism grew in 97 per cent of our regions in 2022-23, with more than half of regional communities seeing growth of above 50 per cent on the previous year.

It is clear that tourism continues to be the lifeblood of our regions, with the sector directly accounting for 6.7 per cent of jobs versus 2.9 per cent in capital cities.

Regions benefiting the most from tourism include:

• Kangaroo Island in South Australia – with tourism revenue accounting for 27 per cent of the region’s local economy and 38 per cent of all jobs on the island.
• Phillip Island in Victoria – with tourism revenue accounting for 18 per cent of the region’s local economy and 30 per cent of all jobs on the island.
• Queensland’s Whitsundays – with tourism revenue accounting for 12 per cent of the region’s local economy and 22 per cent of all jobs.

The Albanese Government wants workers, businesses, and communities across every part of our country to benefit from tourism, and the investment it brings.

We continue to support this crucial industry across Australia, including in our regions.

We have supported significant upgrades to affordable accommodation in regional Australia through our $10 million Caravan Parks Grants Program, which has enabled operators to improve their facilities and amenities to attract more visitors.

In addition, round one of the Government’s Growing Regions Program has allocated more than $116 million in tourism related funding for community and economic infrastructure projects across regional and rural Australia.

We continue to deliver our national strategy for the growth of the tourism sector as a whole, which includes targets for visitor spend, specifically in regional Australia.

I encourage Australians to continue to get out and explore our magnificent country, knowing that not only will you have a great experience, but that you are also contributing to the creation of more jobs and opportunities in our communities.

Data by Austrade’s Tourism Research Australia (TRA) can be viewed on the Tourism Research Australia website.