Starting Out in Tourism

What is Tourism?

Why Tourism?

Is the Tourism Industry for you?

Who’s Who?

Where to from here?


What is Tourism?


Tourism is a service-based industry comprising a number of tangible and intangible components. The tangible elements include transport, foods and beverages, tours, souvenirs and accommodation, while the intangible elements involve adventure, ecotourism, education, culture, or simply escape and relaxation.

Did you know?

  • One in four visitor dollars spent in Australia is spent in Queensland
  • International airlines seat capacity into Queensland has increased by almost 50 per cent over the past three years
  • Tourism contributes over $7.4 billion to Queensland’s economy
  • Tourism employs more than 151, 000 people or nine per cent of the workforce

Domestic Visitors to Queensland

  • Queensland currently receives 18.7 million overnight visitors, 16.6 million of which are domestic travellers
  • Our domestic visitors are largely travelling:
    - holiday/leisure (43%)
    - visiting friends/relatives (35%) - business (18%)

What Queensland offers…

  • Great lifestyle
  • Friendly people
  • Warm climate
  • Natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef
  • Beautiful tropical rainforests
  • Idyllic islands and endless sandy beaches

International Visitors to Queensland

The main international visitor source markets to Queensland are:

  • Japan (21%)
  • New Zealand (15%)
  • United Kingdom (13%)
  • Europe (excluding the UK 9%)
  • United States of America (7%)
  • China (6%)

Tourism provides many benefits and helps to generate community support and involvement. It is a many layered, complex and diverse service industry made up of a wide variety of stakeholders who must work together to service the needs of visitors.

Find out about what tourism is all about and how it works in Queensland with this simple and comprehensive overview, Tourism works for Queensland


Why Tourism?

  • Queensland tourism is an expanding industry providing excellent business opportunities.
  • Tourism creates many job opportunities, particularly for young people (enabling them to stay in their local community) and for mature workers returning to the workforce.

Is the Tourism Industry for you?


Specific skills and abilities are needed to run a successful tourism operation. They include:

  • Ability to work with people even under stress
  • Capacity to work long and unusual hours
  • Industry experience required and/or the willingness to undertake training
  • Ability to relate to people from different social and cultural backgrounds
  • Willingness to accept people with different values and beliefs to yourself
  • Sensitivity to meet and understand the needs of groups and individuals
  • Ability to solve problems quickly
  • Ability to keep cool under pressure
  • Total support of your spouse, family and others involved in or affected by the business
  • Fitness and stamina to keep your business running
  • Public relations and sales skills to promote your business.

It is important to analyse your skills and abilities before starting a business. This will ensure you possess both the capabilities and knowledge required in operating and growing your own business.


Who's Who


The tourism business system is built around a core base of industry operators:

State Level: Tourism Queensland is the government agency responsible for guiding tourism development and marketing.

Regional Level: 14 Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) play a key role in coordinating the efforts of industry, local government and the community.

Local Level: Local Tourism Organisations (LTOs) and local governments are responsible for promoting their local area and driving or participating in local tourism development initiatives.

Visitors and residents, whose support is essential for the tourism industry to function, underpin the whole system.

There are a number of organisations involved in the planning, development and coordination of tourism in Queensland, each with complementary roles and responsibilities.

Tourism works for Queensland generally outlines the structure and function of the key coordinating agencies and the levels described above.

For specific industry stakeholder details - refer to the Industry Directory.


Where to from here?


Now you have a better understanding of the tourism industry and its major stakeholders you can better utilise the information in our Destination and Special Interest sections or continue on learning how to Build Business Success.

The Tourism Project Feasibility Guide

The Tourism Project Feasibility Guide is targeted at tourism operators (particularly small-medium sized), potential investors and local communities to help turn tourism concepts and ideas into commercial reality. It is a valuable tool that offers a step-by-step guide to planning and determining the viability of new tourism ventures.

It includes information on project development and eight case studies that highlight the elements of successful tourism venture planning. While there is no model to fit all situations, the case studies provide prospective operators with the opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges others have encountered.

Together with the regional tourism infrastructure and investment plans (RTIIPs), the Guide is a comprehensive tool available to facilitate tourism development across the state.

Case studies of successful tourism ventures contained in the Guide include:

  • RiverLife adventure and activity operation in Brisbane
  • Lagoon at Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays
  • Outback@Isa underground mine experience and fossil centre at Mount Isa
  • Gold Coast Convention Centre
  • Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways at Winton
  • Cosmos Centre at Charleville
  • Kronosaurus Korner Richmond Marine Fossil Museum at Richmond
  • Cape York Turtle Rescue Project at Mapoon.

Download the Tourism Project Feasibility Guide .