The Federal Government’s latest budget has dealt Tourism Australia a blow with funding well below expectations.

According to the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) Managing Director, Christopher Brown, “Next year Tourism Australia’s budget will be just $122.9m, some $19m less than last year and $10m less than the industry would have expected.”

He went on to say “For the first time in decades, Tourism Australia has a terrific new campaign, ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’, which has the full support of the industry and has been extremely well received by the public.”

$5.5m of the budget has been allocated to a new National Tourism Accreditation Framework designed to help put quality control in the national tourism spotlight, something the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has been advocating for years.

Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) chief executive, Jayson Westbury, said the travel industry will fare OK from the latest budget. “I think the tax cuts will be good for the industry and the accreditation scheme is a good thing, as its something that may benefit us as the tourism protection scheme unfolds.”

He added “What’s most important for us is that it keeps interest rates down and keeps the economy well managed. That is critical to people feeling like they have money in their pocket, a job and the comfort to go on a holiday.”

Editors Comments: Just when you think Tourism Australia might well be going in the right direction along comes the heavy fist of the government and punches them in the 'mouth' and then says "Keep smiling".  This is hardly 'finger on the pulse' government is it ?  Am I the only one that thinks this government has a strange set of funding priorities ?