LABOR has been criticised for not putting enough money into tourism marketing after announcing $6 million for new regional events in the state.
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Tourism Minister Scott Bacon announced Labor's tourism policy yesterday, which includes developing a statewide event strategy, $6 million to fund about 30 new events, $3 million to boost marketing of Tasmania to Queensland and $600,000 to fund a new wukalina-larapuna guided Aboriginal heritage trek in the North-East.
Mr Bacon said developing new events would help drive tourism in Tasmania in traditionally slower seasons such as winter, and would help spread the tourism wealth into regional areas.
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin applauded the proposed investment, but said the most effective way to increase visitor numbers to the state was to invest in marketing.
Labor has promised to spend $11 million in tourism marketing a year for three years, but Mr Martin said $20 million a year would be more appropriate.
"We know funding for tourism marketing also generates an immediate and direct economic return for the state through the additional visitors it brings," he said.
"Deloitte Access Economic modelling indicates that every extra $1 million invested in tourism marketing generates between $6 million and $19 million in additional economic activity in the state."