- Tourism -

A strategy has been developed to rid Brisbane of its 'transit lounge' image (ie as the gateway to somewhere) to increase the city's share of Queensland's tourism (Potter D. 'City waves off transit lounge reputation', Courier Mail, 14/11/01)

"Tourism will lead a new growth in Queensland jobs with almost half the employers in the industry ready to take on new workers" (McKinnon M. 'Tourism set to kickstart employment', Courier Mail, 1/8/01)

'Queensland has emerged the victor in a major tourism campaign encouraging Australian's to take a holiday, with one in four tourists visiting the Sunshine State' (Retschlag C. 'State reels in the rest of Australia', Courier mail, 2/4/01). 'Tourism is Queensland's top export export dollar earner, ending the state's reputation for living off the land. Throughout the past century meat, wool, sugar and minerals were the big export earners. ..... (Queensland's Treasurer) said our pristine beaches, tropical rainforests and relaxed lifestyle are proving a significant money spinner' (Morley P. 'Tourism our top earner', Sunday Mail, 22/4/01). (and Strutt S. 'Tourism tipped as Queensland's top earner', Financial Review, 27/4/01)

However:

• the main problem with reliance on 'living off the land' (ie agricultural and mineral commodities) is that many of these activities tend to be associated with low productivity (and thus do not support high community incomes). This can occur largely (a) because it is difficult with undifferentiated commodities for firms to develop competitive advantages and market power, and thus difficult to capture high value-added, and (b) because the major competitors are now in low wage under-developed economies. Diversification into tourism is of dubious benefit, as it appears to suffer from at least one of these problems (ie achieves low productivity and is generally associated with low community incomes) (see Notes from SEQ 2001: A Plan for an Under-developed Economy)
• is it realistic to suggest that Queensland's reputation for 'living off the land' is ended by the growth of a tourist industry that is said to depends mainly on 'pristine beaches, tropical rainforests and relaxed lifestyles'
• 'Queensland's lower wages reflect the nature of its main industry - tourism - which pays its employees less than other sectors (Robertson R. 'Queensland sun shines on SMEs', Financial Review, 12/6/01)
• difficulties have arisen as a result of the Ansett collapse, and possible changes to the business strategies of airlines in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the US (See Tourism; Attack in America)