Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) is calling for immediate targeted cost relief to be included in the federal budget on the 12th of May.
QTIC CEO Natassia Wheeler has warned that time is running out” for operators who have been hit by fuel costs after years of compounding pressure including Covid-19, natural disasters and energy costs.
With no formal response from both State and Commonwealth Governments, QTIC is calling for a formal press conference to be held today.
Businesses are making the tough decisions about whether they can afford to stay open, she said.
“This is a clear economic case for early action. Stabilising viable businesses now is far more cost-effective than responding after closures occur,” Wheeler said. Tourism generates more than $43 billion in visitor expenditure and supports over 277,000 jobs.
With tourism playing a critical role in regional economies, waiting is not an option. The delivery of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games depends on it, Wheeler said.
The games rely on the strength of the visitor economy, she added, “We are at risk of hollowing out the very industry needed to deliver that global experience.”
Even if a small wave of businesses closes, it could cost up to $943 million in lost economic activity, nearly 7,000 jobs, and more than $75 million in lost government revenue, QTIC said.
Queensland has seen revenue decline by 30 per cent across parts of the state. These are “These are viable businesses, but they cannot absorb sustained cost increases without support,” Wheeler said.
To support business, a support package of $50 million is expected to be required over the next 90 days to stabilise the sector. “This is not a discretionary sector – it is economic infrastructure that underpins regional communities across Queensland,” Wheeler explains.
The impacts of this are being felt more aggressively in regional and remote areas, where operators are highly exposed to fuel costs, transport dependencies and distance. Wheeler adds, “The fuel crisis is the tipping point after a decade of compounding pressures – from COVID and natural disasters to insurance, energy and labour costs”
The Tourism Industry Council proposed a stabilisation measure
QTIC has outlined a suite of practical measures for co-design with the government over a 3-month period and long-term solutions.
0 – 3 Months: A Temporary waiver or deferral of fees, permits and leases, Targeted payroll tax relief, and Regional fuel support for transport and touring operators
QTIC has requested the help of the Commonwealth Government, asking for BAS-linked cashflow support or tax credits, ATO payment deferrals, concessional finance, and Targeted wage support if conditions worsen
Long-term solutions
QTIC is calling for a joint State–Commonwealth Tourism Industry Taskforce to address structural cost pressures across the sector.
With less than seven years until 2032, Wheeler said the window to act is narrowing
She argues, “We are not asking for long-term support – we are asking for targeted, time-limited intervention to stabilise the sector now.”
Wheeler claims, “This is not just about short-term stabilisation. Without reform, the industry will remain vulnerable to future shocks.”
“If we act early, we protect jobs, regional economies and industry capability.”
