Tourism funding in Tasmania: we can do much better

Commenting on the TICT report on the importance of Tasmania's tourism marketing budget, Australian Greens tourism spokesperson Senator Whish-Wilson stated:

"The report from Deloitte Access Economics shows how important tourism marketing is to the entire economy of Tasmania, not just in tourism jobs but in positive flow on effects to other industries."

"Whilst Premier Lara Giddings has recently acknowledged how crucial tourism is to Tasmania, she must explain why considerable funds were taken out of the tourism budget in 2010 -11."

"An interesting point to note is that Tasmania and the NT are the two jurisdictions which have the highest contribution of tourism to Gross state product, but Tasmania's tourism marketing budget of $10.5m is only half of the Northern Territory's."

"We can do much better and forward planning needs to be put in place for more adequate funding."

"The Greens believe it is Tasmania's 'clean green' image which brings tourists to our state, and it is not recognised often enough that conservationists and the Greens have fought so hard to preserve this value added to our economy over many years."

"Tasmania is unique and should be protected and promoted appropriately."