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NEW guidelines released by the Queensland Government will help the
booming number of caravanners and campers.
Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey said the Camping Options Toolkit
would mark a major milestone for camping in the Sunshine State.
It would deliver on the government's promise to grow tourism as one of the
four pillars of the economy and allow travellers to enjoy a new range of
quality options on their camping trips.
Launched in Hervey Bay, the toolkit is the culmination of 18 months of
industry engagement via workshops and community consultation around the
state.
"It will give local councils a solid platform from which they can
formalise their own approach to attract more drive tourists," Ms Stuckey
said
"I’d like to thank the many groups and individuals throughout Queensland
for their contribution.
"Based on their feedback, the Camping Options Toolkit has been
developed to help councils effectively manage camping within their local
area.
"We recognise there is a need for flexibility.
"Our State is diverse in its destinations and therefore requires an
approach that will ensure individual councils can adapt the options to
suit their own unique circumstances and community expectations."
Ms Stuckey said caravanning and camping has boomed in recent years,
resulting in significant numbers travelling throughout the state.
"Domestic tourism accounts for 80 percent of visitor spending,” she said.
Member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen believed the guidelines would assist
local operators in providing visitors with the best experience possible.
"With many rural and regional communities relying on revenue from drive
tourism, there is a real need for the widest possible range of
accommodation options," he said.
"The Fraser Coast community has so much to offer travellers and these
guidelines will pave the way for a more unified tourism approach."
Local Government Association of Queensland president Margaret de Wit
welcomed the release of the toolkit.
"Local Government Association of Queensland and many councils from across
Queensland were active participants in its development," she said.
"The toolkit provides councils with a valuable resource to effectively
manage camping in their area."
The toolkit and further information on the drive tourism strategy can be
accessed by
clicking here.
