Tourism Minister's Council (TMC) and the Australian Standing Committee on Tourism (ASCOT)
The Tourism Ministers’ Council (TMC) was established in 1959. The TMC provides a forum for consultation and policy coordination on tourism matters of mutual interest to the Commonwealth, state and territory and New Zealand Governments.
The broad objectives of the TMC are:
- Economic: To develop a dynamic and competitive tourism industry, supported by government and, to this end, to minimise constraints and provide an appropriate economic environment in which tourism can contribute to the economy to the maximum extent possible consistent with macro-economic requirements.
- Environmental: To encourage the development of our natural environment and cultural heritage as integral elements of tourism, to recognise the need for their long-term conservation and to ensure that tourism developments are sensitive to environmental considerations.
- Social: To ensure that the public interest is safeguarded through the facilitation of appropriate tourism activity and that participation in tourism is encouraged to enhance the quality of life of all Australians.
TMC Work Plan
On 30 October 2009, state and territory tourism ministers unanimously endorsed the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy 
[PDF, 357KB] (the Strategy) and the TMC is taking the lead role in its implementation. TMC has developed and endorsed a Work Plan which outlines the initial implementation actions to be undertaken through the following Working Groups:
- Labour and Skills Working Group (Chaired by the Northern Territory)
- Investment and Regulatory Reform (Chaired by Victoria)
- Destination Management Planning Working Group (Chaired by Tasmania)
- National Tourism and Aviation Advisory Committee (Chaired by the Commonwealth)
- Resilience Working Group (Chaired by Queensland)
- Tourism Quality Council (Chaired by the Commonwealth)
- Indigenous Tourism Working Group (Chaired by the Northern Territory)
- Distribution of Quality Australian Product (Chaired by NSW)
- Research and Development Advisory Board (Chaired by the Commonwealth)
Membership
Members of the TMC are the Commonwealth Minister for Tourism (TMC Chair) and the Ministers responsible for tourism in Australian states and territories and New Zealand. Observer status is held by Norfolk Island and Papua New Guinea.
The Australian Standing Committee on Tourism (ASCOT) reports to the TMC. The objective of ASCOT is, under the direction of TMC, to improve coordination and cooperation of government policies and activities as they affect tourism.
ASCOT members are officials responsible for tourism from the Commonwealth (ASCOT Chair), each Australian state and territory and New Zealand. Observer status is held by Norfolk Island and Papua New Guinea.
The Secretariat for both the TMC and ASCOT is provided by the Commonwealth. The Secretariat can be contacted on (02) 6243 7113 or ascot-tmc@ret.gov.au
Tourism Ministers’ Council Communique
Information on decisions and activities of the TMC are available through the Tourism Ministers’ Council Communiques .