Business Capability Program

2018-09-20

Get ready with digital and trade upskilling opportunities

Fraser Coast tourism industry operators are in line to receive a competitive boost with the Queensland Government investing $3 million over three years into a new State-wide program across the 13 tourism regions to build business capability.

The program will give selected operators the chance to access trade training and upskilling opportunities designed to help them improve their business operations, take advantage of new commercial opportunities and deliver quality visitor experiences.

The State Government funding will meet a gap following the end of the Federally-funded Tourism Demand Driver Infrastructure program provided by Austrade, which has helped a number of Fraser Coast operators gain domestic and international trade skills over the last four years.

Queensland Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development Kate Jones has been the driving force behind the new program which will be administered by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) with the support of Tourism & Events Queensland and the Regional Tourist Organisation network which includes FCTE.

“Tourism is a tough, very competitive and global market, and it is only by continuously honing our skills that we can improve our competitiveness and further strengthen the Queensland tourism industry’s reputation,” said QTIC Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind.

The FCTE tourism team will work with local operators to match development needs with the programs available.

The priorities in the first year, decided during meetings between the Department of Innovation and Tourism Industry Development , QTIC, TEQ and the RTO network, the  will be Digital Ready and Trade Ready.

FCTE general Manager Martin Simons said staff were working with QTIC planning programs for local operators in three categories:

• introducing new operators to the tourism trade, explaining packaging, pricing and distribution structures
• extending the Fraser Coast China Ready initiative already underway with the Parker Travel Collection, and;
• organising a “reverse famil” to the Fraser Coast, bringing product managers to the region, rather trade development mentees going on the road to meet trade suppliers in their head offices in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne.

The aim of the programs were to grow the tourism sector and create employment opportunities.

Fraser Coast business interested in honing their digital skills would be able to register their interest via the QTIC website, www.qtic.com.au/programs. Businesses were not required to be a member of the RTO to access these programs.

The Business Capability Program is funded by the Department of Innovation and Tourism Industry Development and has been developed in consultation with QTIC, Tourism and Events Queensland and the Regional Tourism Organisations.

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