The state government will double the funding in its Growing Future Tourism Fund, which supports the development of new tourist attractions and experiences across the state.
The fund already had $15 million attached to it and is now worth $30 million in grants for operators.
According to the Queensland Government, the first round of applications earlier this year proved the demand for the funding beyond expectations and identified a large number of potential projects.
Given the funding must be matched by applicants and grants start at $1 million, extending up to $4 million for a single project, the initiative could likely deliver products and experiences suitable for business events.
The Growing Future Tourism Fund guidelines indicate supported projects could include accommodation and First Nations or eco-tourism tourism products or experiences.
The Building Bush Tourism program was also announced by Queensland’s tourism minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, at DestinationQ, offering $10 million in grants of $50,000 to $200,000 to tourism operators, local councils and not-for-profits located outside of south east Queensland to deliver new or better tourism, social and community infrastructure that benefits locals and draws visitors.
Regional heritage buildings and cultural institutions could benefit from this funding, meaning there may be a flow on benefit to business events, in terms of growing regional offerings for conferences and events.
“Growing Future Tourism and Building Bush Tourism will help super-charge the industry’s pipeline of new Queensland visitor infrastructure and experiences,” said Hinchliffe.
“It’s part of our commitment to the Towards Tourism 2032 roadmap’s goal of building a $44 billion-a-year Queensland visitor economy by the Brisbane 2032 Games.
“New experiences and infrastructure are critical to Queensland’s standing as the nation’s favourite holiday location and emerging as a global destination of choice.”
Palaszczuk noted that Queensland’s visitor economy was worth a record $33.2 billion in the last financial year.
“Our government stands by the tourism industry and backs it 100 per cent,” she said.
