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Regional tourism organisations to receive $3 million in tourism grants

Regional Tourism Grants
Brisbane 13 August 2013. Queensland tourism will receive a major boost with 22 regional projects sharing almost $3 million, as part of the Queensland Government’s Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) Contestable Grants Funding Scheme.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said the grants would be used to leverage local tourism opportunities and support the Newman Government’s goal of doubling annual overnight visitor expenditure to $30 billion by 2020.

“At the inaugural DestinationQ Forum held in Cairns last June, our Government increased the funding available to RTOs and these projects will help further boost tourism in Queensland,” Ms Stuckey said

“The grants are in addition to the $4 million in core funding made available for the RTO network in 2013-14, bringing total government support to $7 million.

“The successful applications include innovative proposals linked to DestinationQ outcomes and focus on marketing or product development opportunities that complement the Government’s wider tourism strategy.”

Ms Stuckey said a committee was established to assess grant applications, which was made up of representatives from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, Tourism Australia, Tourism and Events Queensland and the Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games.

“RTOs were encouraged to leverage their own contributions towards projects with those from partners including local governments, local tourism organisations, industry and other partners,” she said.

“Where grant applications have been successful, the State Government will match the destination’s cash contributions dollar-for-dollar.

“In addition, RTOs are eligible to receive an extra 50 per cent for every dollar of new local government funds contributed to their successful projects.”

Ms Stuckey said the Newman Government continued to focus on the importance of industry partnerships and the RTO Contestable Grant Scheme was a practical example of this.

Summary of RTO Contestable Grants Funding Scheme 2013-14 by region.

Regional Tourism Organisation

Projects supported

Total grant funding

Brisbane Marketing

China Partnership Strategy Phase 2

$60,000

Greater Brisbane Regional Campaign

$285,000

Total

$345,000

Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism

Bundaberg Turtle Experience Campaign

$75,000

Bundaberg North Burnett Digital Information System

$135,000

Total

$210,000

Capricorn Enterprise

Dig the Tropic

$42,500

Total

$42,500

Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Limited

Promotion and Growth of Industrial Tourism for the Gladstone Region

$20,000

Total

$20,000

Gold Coast Tourism Corporation

This is Gold Coast – Business Events Exchange

$90,000

Flight Centre Campaign

$205,000

Total

$295,000

Outback Queensland Tourism Association

Outback Queensland Eventures Tourism Campaign

$360,000

Total

$360,000

Sunshine Coast Destination Limited

Business Events: International and Domestic Growth Project

$104,500

Total

$104,500

Southern Queensland Country Tourism

Southern Queensland Country Autumn Campaign – Phase 2

$136,100

Southern Queensland Country Club

$74,000

Total

$210,100

Townsville Enterprise

Cruise, Learn and Explore Townsville North Queensland

$134,000

Corporate Social Responsibility for Business Events

$64,030

Total

$198,030

Tourism Fraser Coast

Whale Education and Community Engagement Strategy

$114,500

Australia’s Nature Coast Partnership Strategy 2013-14

$60,000

Total

$174,500

Tourism Tropical North Queensland

TNQ Paradise Campaign

$265,000

Drive North Queensland

$230,000

Sports Event Tourism

$194,000

Total

$689,000

Whitsundays Marketing & Development Ltd

Airlie Beach Re-launch Project

$125,000

Whitsundays Winter Sale

$150,000

Weddings in the Whitsundays campaign

$55,000

Total

$330,000


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