The Optimist

Brisbane’s official investment attraction agency has announced today tourism infrastructure will now form part of their investment attraction portfolio.

Invest Brisbane, the investment attraction arm of Brisbane Marketing will be adding to their existing target sectors by attracting investment in tourism infrastructure in Brisbane, a sector that has seen more than $1 billion spent by overseas visitors the year ending June 2007.

Ian Klug, Executive Chair of Brisbane Marketing, said that the new focus in promoting investment in tourism infrastructure will have a significant impact on the long-term economic and leisure benefits for the city.

“The adoption of tourism infrastructure as an investment attraction sector for Invest Brisbane is a natural and deliberate step forward in helping to place Brisbane on the World map. The agency has been leading several projects for the city that lends itself to this sector, such as Moreton Bay and Islands Tourism Infrastructure Program and Six-Star Hotel Development.

“The consolidation of these tourism projects into one sector will allow for more effective and efficient integration with other Brisbane Marketing activities and also enable the Invest Brisbane team to leverage from our existing knowledge, contacts and resources in the tourism industry.

“As part of the Queensland Tourism Strategy, the new Destination Management Officer at Brisbane Marketing will also play a major role in supporting the investment attraction activities.

“The co-ordinated approach with investment attraction and tourism development activities is vital to build on Brisbane’s leading position as the domestic tourism destination in Queensland”, said Ian.

Some of the long-term benefits the city is expected to experience from this collaboration are an increase in high profile tourism activities and destinations, improved infrastructure to link potential visitors with existing destinations, an increase in CBD accommodation to house short-term visitors and enhanced city-wide commitment to encourage investment in the sector.

Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said investment in new infrastructure was important for Brisbane’s tourism industry to continue to grow.

“Brisbane is becoming an increasingly sophisticated city and an increasingly popular destination. It is so close to the magnificent islands of Moreton Bay and the rainforests of the Scenic Rim and has world-class facilities such as the Gallery of Modern Art and Suncorp Stadium.

Under the State Government’s Queensland Tourism Strategy, a Regional Tourism Infrastructure and Investment Plan has been developed in partnership with Tourism Queensland, Brisbane Marketing and industry.

This plan will help prepare Brisbane’s tourism industry for the future through the identification of strategic private and pubic sector and partnership projects.

Invest Brisbane are currently driving a pipeline of tourism infrastructure projects, valued in excess of $200 million, a figure which is expected to grow significantly with industry engagements and involvement.

Invest Brisbane is the official inward investment agency for the city of Brisbane. Ranked second in the world in a global benchmark of 72 investment promotion agencies, the agency offers complimentary, comprehensive and confidential assistance for investors establishing, expanding or doing business in Brisbane.