Tourism minister Martin Ferguson’s appeal for Australians to holiday at home rather than take advantage of a rising dollar and holiday overseas is likely to fall on deaf ears.
The Australian dollar hit a record high of 98.73 US cents this week and is tipped to reach parity, making overseas holidays much cheaper for Australians.
Ferguson told reporters in Perth he understood the challenges the rising dollar created for the local industry.
“It’s highly attractive for our own community to actually go overseas to have a holiday, alternatively it’s less attractive for people from overseas to come to Australia.”
Ferguson said it was important for Australians to holiday at home “and keep Australians in workâ€.
The tourism deficit (excess of departures over arrivals) is at record highs and poised to go higher.
Over a million more Aussies travelled overseas for holidays in the past year than foreign tourists arrived in Australia.
