CANBERRA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Australia's opposition has pledged a significant tourism boost for Tasmania - one of the nation's top destinations for visitors - if it wins the general election.
Bill Shorten, leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), visited Tasmania on Saturday to announce the 120-million-Australian dollar package, including 50 million AUD for Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).
If victorious in the election on May 18, a Labor government will fund developments at MONA including a convention center, library, auditorium and playground.
"We want to back in the future of Tasmanian tourism, we want to back in the investment which has been made by private investors in MONA," Shorten told reporters, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
"Paris may have the Lourve, you've got the Guggenheim and other great international exhibits but it's Australia, not just Tasmania that has the MONA.
"It's not only leading in Australia, it's leading throughout the world, and it's fun."
According to Tourism Research Australia, 307,000 international tourists visited Tasmania in the 12 months to September 2018 - a 15-percent increase over the previous 12 months.
