Tourism outstrips farming in Australia

SYDNEY - Australia's tourism industry contributes more to the economy than agriculture.

Tourism consumption within Australia totalled 4.5 per cent of total gross domestic product (GDP) in 1997-98, the Bureau of Statistics said.

In that year, tourism contributed $A58.2 billion ($77.79 billion) to the economy, according to the Tourism Satellite Account,

which measures the contribution of tourism to overall activity in the national accounts.

"The account shows that tourism contributes more to the national economy than industries such as agriculture and communication services," Federal Tourism Minister Jackie Kelly said.

Ms Kelly said agriculture, forestry and fishing combined accounted for 3.4 per cent of GDP, while tourism lagged only slightly behind mining, which contributed 4.7 per cent of GDP.

Overseas visitors accounted for 21 per cent of total tourism consumption.

"Overseas visitors made up 11.2 per cent of total exports of goods and services; more than the traditional exports of coal, iron and steel products," Ms Kelly said.

The total tourism contribution rose from the 1997-98 year, when overseas arrivals were hit by the Asian crisis.

Ms Kelly also outlined Australia's post-Olympics tourism push to build on the enormous exposure generated by the Sydney Games.

She said 90 per cent of European travel agents surveyed had reported an increase in bookings for Australia since the Games started, while the latest advertising campaign in the US had generated a huge response.

- NZPA