Tax rebate incentive to stay at home?

Press, 3 October 1983, Page 5

Tax rebate incentive to stay at home?

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney

The Australian Government is looking at tax incentives for Australians to take holidays at home, and duty-free shopping for inbound overseas visitors as two radical ways of boosting tourism. The Minister of Tourism, Mr John Brown, said that the proposals were part of a plan to boost the tourist industry, which is worth sAustl2,ooo million a year, by 50 per cent over the next three years. To do it, the Australian Tourist Commission, with a budget of 17.5 million this financial year, would be expanding its operations to Japan, South-east Asia, Britain and Europe, and would start an advertising

campaign in Britain and the United States. Mr Brown said that he had asked the state governments, Qantas, the two main domestic airlines T.A.A. and Ansett, and other sections of the tourist industry, to pool their advertising budgets with that of the Australian Tourist Commission.

He said that the McDonnell Douglas Corporation, as part of an offset package tied in with the sale of FlB fighters to the Australian Air Force, would spend $3O million promoting tourism to and within Australia. Mr Brown said that the tax incentives for Australians holidaying at home would probably take the form of tax rebates. “We are looking at vari-

ous ways in the tax structure to encourage Australians to have their holidays at home,” he said. “I suggested tax deductions might be a proposition to encourage people to do this.”

The other measures include more generous tax depreciation concessions for investors in the tourism industry, moves to encourage domestic airlines to offer new tourist fares and a 30day set-fare ticket, and uniform laws requiring registration of travel agents. The Ministry was also investigating the need, for low-cost tourist accommodation, exempting transit passengers from the $2O departure tax, and the introduction of tourism awards.