FEDERAL Parliament’s Northern Australia Committee has commenced an Inquiry into Opportunities and Methods for Stimulating the Tourism Industry in Northern Australia.

The Government’s White Paper on developing Northern Australia, released in June 2015, recognised tourism as an industry with “bright prospects in the North” and that Northern Australia could “capitalise on its iconic locations, open spaces and clean environment to host the millions of tourists every year”.

The Committee Chair, Hon Warren Entsch MP, said: “Tourism is an industry central to the economy of many parts of Northern Australia and has the ability to provide greater short and long term economic opportunities for communities across all regions.”

“Despite offering a range of activities and great experiences, the numbers of both domestic and international visitors to Northern Australia has declined in the last decade when compared to those visiting the rest of Australia.

“the inquiry will investigate how tourism to Northern Australia can be stimulated and how impediments can be addressed,” he said.

Submissions from interested individuals and organisations are invited by 16 February 2017. The preferred method of receiving submissions is by electronic format lodged online using a My Parliament account.

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on how to lodge a submission are available on the Committee's website.

For more information, contact the committee secretariat: 02 6277 4162;
e-mail: jscna@aph.gov.au or www.aph.gov.au/jscna