Andrew Barr is trumpeting research showing the widely anticipated findings of Tourism Research Australia that blockbuster exhibitions are good for tourism.
Not hard to grasp is it? Events that lots of people turn up to are events that lots of people came for?
The report finds that exhibitions were the main reason for visiting Canberra for 65 per cent of those surveyed. Exhibition visitors spend an average of $314 per visit with Canberra’s attractions and businesses.
“By securing blockbuster exhibitions, Canberra’s world class cultural institutions are creating an enormous boost to the local tourism industry and wider economy. Masterpieces from Paris alone attracted over 470,000 attendees,” Minister Ferguson said.
The bigger point is this justifies the ACT Government paying the big galleries to put the blockbusters on.
It doesn’t explain why the hotels which are the economic beneficiaries can’t pay for these things themselves.
Not ours to reason why.