Gillard calls on Australians to holiday at home

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Gillard calls on Australians to holiday at home

By Carolyn Webb
Four characters promoting a new tramway at Ballarat's Sovereign Hill theme park prompted a double-take at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station yesterday.

Four characters promoting a new tramway at Ballarat's Sovereign Hill theme park prompted a double-take at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station yesterday.Credit: Paul Rovere

ACTING Prime Minister Julia Gillard has followed Paul Hogan, Lara Bingle and Baz Luhrmann in urging Australians to holiday at home.

"There's never been a better time for Australians who are thinking about taking a bit of leave to decide to take that holiday here in our own country," Ms Gillard said in Melbourne yesterday.

Her comments were sparked by grim overseas visitor forecasts, connected to the world economic crisis, which predicted a slump in arrivals.

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The number of overseas visitors is expected to drop by 4.1 per cent in 2009, and the value of inbound tourism will fall 3.6 per cent or $500 million, according to the report by Tourism Australia's tourism forecasting committee.

It stated the figures reflected "the large falls in the rate of economic growth in many of Australia's leading inbound markets".

The Australian Tourism Export Council reacted with alarm, saying the industry could be facing widespread job losses.

Council director Matt Hingerty called for a government assistance package for the sector, which he said employed more than 850,000 Australians.

"The Rudd Government needs to act now to protect tourism jobs," he said. "The tourism industry is staring down the barrel at a situation which is just as, if not more, serious as that which faced the automotive or mining industries."

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But Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said tax cuts and Kevin Rudd's recent $10 billion cash handout to pensioners and families provided disposable dollars to spend on domestic tourism. And the weakening Australian dollar made it less attractive to holiday overseas.

He was developing a long-term tourism industry skills, training and infrastructure strategy, but for now we could help each other. "By having a holiday at home, you actually can help your mates," Mr Ferguson said. "You don't have to go away for extended trips; you can go on day trips or away for a couple of days.

"It's even a question of going to the movies, going to the cricket or going out for a meal; it's all part of the tourism industry.

"People now, having experienced a bit of retail therapy over the last couple of days, ought to think about a trip or two with their family — have a break from work, because remember this: no leave means no life."

Mr Ferguson said he was "pleased to say" that neither he nor his wife had ever had an overseas holiday. "We've always had a holiday here at home." Ms Gillard's 2008 holidays were in Lorne and Batemans Bay.

Victorian tourism operators were optimistic about 2009. Sovereign Hill chief executive Jeremy Johnson said while international visitor figures at the Ballarat theme park had slowed in the past six months, "the domestic market is taking up the gap, and we're having a very strong trading period". Mr Johnson, who is Victorian Tourism Industry Council chairman, said the Australian dollar's plunge and political unrest in destinations such as Thailand and India were benefiting local operators.

Barbara Horn, acting chief executive of Museum Victoria, expected little decline in Melbourne Museum visitor numbers, with just 17 per cent of patrons from overseas — and, with tougher economic times, local visitor numbers should rise.

The Immigration Museum, with 30 per cent of its visitors from overseas, had been building local numbers by marketing to school children and community groups.

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