Queensland Tourism Industry Council

Queensland Tourism Industry Council
Name	Queensland Tourism Industry Council
Type	Non-profit peak industry body
Founded	2009
Headquarters	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Region served	Queensland

Queensland Tourism Industry Council is a peak industry body representing the tourism, accommodation, and hospitality sectors in Queensland. It engages with state and federal institutions including Parliament of Queensland, Australian Parliament, and regulatory authorities such as Queensland Treasury and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The council collaborates with regional development bodies like Tourism and Events Queensland, Destination Gold Coast, and Townsville Enterprise to coordinate industry responses to crises including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2010–2011 Queensland floods.

History

Formed in the aftermath of sector challenges linked to events such as the Global Financial Crisis and natural disasters like the 2010–2011 Queensland floods, the council's establishment aligned with reforms promoted by figures from Queensland Tourism Minister portfolios and agencies including Tourism Australia and Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Early engagement involved stakeholders from major operators such as Accor, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and regional networks like Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority partners. The council has evolved through policy debates around initiatives from the Gillard Government, Abbott Government, and Morrison Government impacting aviation, visa, and investment settings.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures mirror other Australian peak bodies like Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Business Council of Australia, with a board comprising representatives from hotel groups (e.g., Novotel), tour operators (e.g., AAT Kings), and regional tourism organizations such as Whitsunday Regional Council delegates. Executive leadership liaises with state ministries including the Queensland Treasury and departments formerly titled Department of State Development or Department of Jobs and Small Business. The council's constitution and bylaws reference corporate frameworks compatible with the Corporations Act 2001 and compliance obligations to bodies such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Functions and Activities

Primary functions include advocacy, research commissioning, and stakeholder coordination with entities including Tourism Research Australia, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and academic partners at institutions like Griffith University and University of Queensland. Activities range from producing white papers responding to policies from the Productivity Commission to coordinating industry positions on aviation access with carriers such as Qantas and international partners including Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways. The council issues briefings to ministers in cabinets such as the Palaszczuk Ministry and provides submissions to inquiries conducted by committees of the Parliament of Australia.

Industry Advocacy and Policy

Advocacy targets regulatory settings in areas influenced by actors like Airservices Australia, Australian Border Force, and state regulators of liquor and gaming such as Liquor and Gaming Queensland. Policy priorities have included reform of tourism infrastructure funding with proposals referencing models used in Great Barrier Reef Foundation partnerships and investment frameworks akin to those advocated by the Infrastructure Australia agenda. The council has campaigned on workforce issues intersecting with visa arrangements under the Temporary Skill Shortage visa program and training pathways coordinated with bodies such as Australian Apprenticeships.

Membership and Membership Services

Membership comprises a cross-section of businesses from global hotel brands like Hilton Hotels & Resorts to indigenous tourism enterprises represented through groups similar to Gunggari cultural operators and regional bodies such as Cairns Regional Council. Services offered parallel those from associations like Australian Hotels Association and include policy briefings, insurance negotiation support reflecting schemes used by Return to Work, and access to benchmarking data derived from Tourism Research Australia reports and Australian Bureau of Statistics datasets.

Events, Programs, and Training

The council organises forums, owner-operator workshops, and conferences modelled on events such as the Australian Tourism Exchange and regional expos like Reef Festival gatherings. Training partnerships have been established with vocational providers such as TAFE Queensland and universities including James Cook University to deliver credentials aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework. Crisis-response programs mirror coordination seen during the Cyclone Yasi recovery and the national mobilisations prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic stimulus packages.

Impact and Economic Contributions

Through policy advocacy and industry coordination, the council influences outcomes affecting major economic contributors including the Queensland tourism precincts: Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Fraser Island, and gateway cities such as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, and Townsville. Its submissions and initiatives contribute to metrics tracked by Tourism Research Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics on visitor expenditure, employment in accommodation and food services, and regional economic development programs funded by entities like the Australian Government and Queensland Treasury. The council's role has been noted in industry responses to international market shifts involving partners like China Tourism Administration and trade events such as ITB Berlin.

Category:Tourism in Queensland Category:Trade associations based in Australia