Mr WETTENHALL (Wednesday 4 August) (10.01 pm): Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of assisting
tourism minister Peter Lawlor to launch the Tropical North Queensland Tourism Opportunity Plan. This is a plan that will provide direction for the sustainable development of tourism in the tropical north.

Tourism is a major industry for Tropical North Queensland—2.1 million people visited the region in the year to March 2010 and spent more than $2.6 billion. The industry is crucial to the region's economy, employing 20 per cent of the workforce or about 20,000 people and supporting hundreds of businesses.

The tourism opportunity plan was produced by Tourism Queensland, the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, and Tourism Tropical North Queensland, and is the product of extensive consultation.

It recommended 18 'catalyst projects' including: Cairns arts, cultural and events precinct; Australian World Heritage Centre, Cairns; Port Douglas waterfront development; Daintree sustainable tourism gateway; welcome to country experience; education and wellbeing tourism; Clump Point safe boat haven; Tablelands adventure cycle and recreation trails; Barron Gorge tourism precinct; Torres Strait islands experience; Cape York wilderness experience; Great Green Way nature trail; Tropical North Queensland culinary tourism; Tablelands accommodation; Cooktown port and marina; Tropical North Queensland drive tourism private-public partnership; gulf monsoon centre; gulf barramundi program and discovery centre.

The plan also identifies another 30 projects considered to be of regional significance which aim to create a range of investment and employment opportunities. As the tropical north relies heavily on tourism, it has been hard hit by the global economic downturn.

That is why the Bligh government's focus over the past 18 months has been on hard-hitting tactical marketing campaigns aimed at driving bookings to the region—campaigns which, incidentally, have been very successful.

However, the tropical north tourism industry is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel—and this is great news. As we look towards a hopefully brighter year ahead, it is important that we shift our focus towards identifying new opportunities for the region so that it can continue to prosper.

While the region already features a wide variety of quality tourism products and experiences, it is important that we explore new opportunities.

The tourism opportunity plan will help guide how public and private investment and infrastructure can come together to meet the region's needs. The Bligh government will ensure the region's potential is realised while at the same time preserving the character, the diversity and the environment that we love about the tropical north.