Assistance to Tourism: Exploratory Estimates

In April 2005, the research paper into Assistance to Tourism: Exploratory Estimates, was released. It is the first comprehensive attempt to quantify the extent of assistance to tourism on a comparable basis to that for other industries in Australia. While care is needed in interpreting the results, the estimates suggest that tourism receives a lower rate of Australian Government assistance than the average for the manufacturing and primary sectors, but more than for other service industries. Assistance measures include destination marketing and support for high-profile cultural or sporting events, and funding for art galleries, national parks and transport. This latest research extends the work the Commission and its predecessors have undertaken on tariffs, budgetary and other assistance, particularly in respect to manufacturing, agriculture and more recently, services.