FED: Overseas tourism products should be GST exempt: TCA

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-1998
FED: Overseas tourism products should be GST exempt: TCA

CANBERRA, Dec 3 AAP - A major tourism body today called for the federal governments GST
concessions to include an exemption for tourism in Australia bought overseas.

Tourism Council Australia (TCA) chief Don Larkin welcomed the concessions on the Olympics
and said they would help the event become the most successful Games ever staged.

"However, the government should also move to exempt tourism products bought offshore, which
would increase Australias price competitiveness as a tourist destination and further attract
international tourists to Australia for the Games," Mr Larkin said in a statement.

Airline and other travel tickets, accommodation, and package tours are among the tourism
products the TCA would like to see exempted.

Tourism Minister Jackie Kelly yesterday confirmed that people purchasing Australian airline
tickets overseas would not have to pay the 10 per cent GST.

Mr Larkin said the Sydney 2000 Games would deliver an additional 1.6 million international
visitors to Australia and generate $6.1 billion between 1997 and 2004.

Visitor numbers would increase by eight per cent in 2000 as a result of the Olympics with
an additional 342,000 visitors expected to visit Australia that year.

"The industry should have parity with other exporters under the federal governments tax
package - and be exempt from GST as are all other exports," Mr Larkin said.

AAP st/mfh/mk

KEYWORD: TAX TOURISM

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