Kingscote Airport Business Case - Kangaroo Island Council - SA ...

Kangaroo Island Airport Upgrade Business Case
Island economy
It is estimated that there were approximately 2,400 jobs (around 2,330 full time
equivalent jobs) on Kangaroo Island in 2011/12. The top five contributors to total jobs
were:
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing (26 per cent);
• Accommodation and food services (12 per cent);
• Retail trade (11 per cent);
• Health care and social assistance (9 per cent);
and
• Education and training (6 per cent). 3
Gross Regional Product (GRP) on Kangaroo Island in 2011/12 was estimated to be
$217 million. The top five direct contributors to GRP were:
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing (18 per cent);
• Accommodation and food services (9 per cent);
• Transport postal and warehousing (8 per cent);
• Health care and social assistance (6 per cent);
and
• Public administration and safety (6 per cent). 4
Kangaroo Island Abolone farm – the largest Abalone
farm in the Southern Hemisphere
Kangaroo beach lodges can only be accessed by
private road through De Mole River Farm, an 8000-
acre property with 7 kilometres of stunning sea
frontage.
Analysis of the main contributors to employment and GRP on Kangaroo Island reveals
that the Island is dependent of two main economic sectors: tourism and agriculture. It
has been estimated that together, tourism and agriculture generate over 52% of
Kangaroo Island’s GRP on a direct and indirect basis. 5
What is more, tourism and agriculture will continue to be the main economic
contributors on Kangaroo Island into the future. In June 2011, the South Australian
Economic Development Board set goals within a five year plan to double farm-gate
income and tourism numbers on the Island by 2021. To achieve this, the SAEDB
established the Kangaroo Island Futures Authority (KIFA) to coordinate the South
Australian Government’s response to the Island with a view to maximising the outputs
from the programs that the government might initiate to reach these targets.
Tourism
Kangaroo Island has become a popular tourism destination with 21 national and
conservation parks covering more than 30% of the Island, accessible wildlife, and
dramatic scenery ranging from the Little Sahara to huge sculptured granite boulders,
which are truly 'Remarkable Rocks'. The Island is one of Australia’s top four tourism
3 Econsearch, 2013, Impact of agriculture and tourism industries on the Kangaroo Island economy.
4 ibid
5 Public Briefing Paper, 2010, Kangaroo Island Watergap Project, p1. Accessed at