Australia's Minister for Tourism announced a A$9 million boost to cooperative marketing and called on Australia's tourism industry to engage with Tourism Australia to maximise growth in domestic and international travel following the global recession.

Speaking at the Tourism Ministers' Council in Adelaide, Minister Ferguson said the extra funding was for the 2009/10 financial year and that he hoped contributions from industry partners – as well as state and territory governments – would significantly grow the amount to be spent promoting Australia in the months ahead.

Minister Ferguson said: "The global tourism industry has been through a very difficult period.

"Australia's tourism industry is performing far better than many other destinations but we now have an opportunity to capitalise upon increasing confidence in some of our key overseas markets.

"It's the right time for an injection of funding to support extra marketing activity overseas - as well as in Australia - and I hope that industry will match the Australian Government's nine million to turn the boost into eighteen million, or even much more."

The $9 million will be brought forward from Tourism Australia's 2010/2011 appropriation to promote domestic business travel and to stimulate travel from short-to-medium haul overseas markets (ten hours or less flying time).

Minister Ferguson said: "This additional funding will provide a boost where it is needed most, such as the business travel sector in Australia, which has been particularly affected by the recent downturn.

"Overseas, the additional funding will target key markets such as China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the Middle East, which are important markets for Australia with potential for growth.

"Tourism Australia has attracted good industry support for both the ‘Come Walkabout' and ‘No Leave, No Life' campaigns and I hope the industry and state governments again take the opportunity to promote Australia to the world."