The tourism industry has generated more than a quarter of all new jobs created in the ACT with the nation’s capital leading Australia in terms of tourism job increases and its economic contribution.
The ACT Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for 2017-18 released on 14 August shows tourism generated 19,300 jobs, an increase of 1700 new jobs from the previous year. The result – a growth of 9.2 per cent from the previous year – was the highest growth in tourism employment nationally.
Tourism’s contribution to the ACT’s Gross State Product (GSP) was $2.439 billion, up 10.5 per cent from the previous year. This comprises $1.196 billion as tourism’s direct contribution and $1.243 billion as tourism’s indirect contribution. The growth in GSP was also the highest of all Australian states and territories.
In line with the significant growth in the range and diversity of experiences available in the capital over the past decade, the GSP has increased 77.7 per cent since Tourism Research Australia began tracking tourism jobs and economic contribution 12 years ago.
GSP takes into account all money spent in the ACT including day trippers and reflects the value of tourism as a total industry. The GSP growth has been driven by record domestic and international visitation to the capital – with 2.93 million overnight domestic visitors and 259,408 overnight international visitors coming to Canberra for the year ending March 2019.
More information: Peta Lemmon, Assistant Director, Research and Consumer Insight, 6205 9868, email Peta.Lemmon@act.gov.au