Funds to drive jobs in Whitsunday event tourism

TODAY I announced a $35,000 funding boost for event and festival-based tourism jobs in the Whitsundays. The funding will assist the Whitsunday Regional Council’s $70,000 project to develop a strategic framework to increase the region’s capacity to attract and develop major festivals and events, which will deliver much-needed local jobs.The Whitsundays are still feeling the effects of Cyclone Debbie and need to find new ways to attract visitors to the region. The best way to create jobs in the Whitsundays is to bring in more visitors. Every visitor to our region brings with them dollars to be spent on accommodation, food, shopping, and experiences. Events and festivals are a great way to attract large numbers of visitors and give people a reason to book straight away.The $35,000 grant will be delivered through the Liberal National Government’s Building Better Regions Fund – Community Investment stream. These projects will drive economic growth and transform communities, ensuring that our region remains resilient and prosperous into the future.The Building Better Regions Fund continues to deliver major benefits for rural, regional and remote communities throughout Australia. The Community Investment stream of the Building Better Regions Fund is another part of our plan for regional Australia. It supports community activities from expanded local events and strategic planning to improving leadership and capability.The Liberal National Government invested an additional $200 million in the 2018-19 Federal Budget to deliver another round of the Building Better Regions Fund. This is another great outcome delivered for regional Australia. The Coalition has a plan to deliver a stronger economy and more jobs and we are focused on getting it done. Successful projects for round two of the Infrastructure stream will be announced in the near future.