New luxury hotel, direct US-Adelaide flights on tourism's radar Check out the SA Tourism Commission's ad for Kangaroo Island TWO new major events, a new five-star luxury hotel and direct flights from the US are among the State Government's strategies as it seeks to increase the value of the state's tourism sector by more than 20 per cent in less than three years. Premier Jay Weatherill said a sharply rising tourism sector could help insulate the state's economy, which is preparing for the shock of the Holden factory at Elizabeth. This is possibly one of the quickest turnarounds. If we can lift the number of tourists we have coming in, in the way in which we're planning, that's immediate economic activity," Mr Weatherill said in Streaky Bay. Mr Weatherill will on Tuesday release his economic priority statement for tourism and said his Government would be held accountable for the ambitious growth targets at the next election. By June 2017, the Government aims to increase the value of the state's tourism sector to $6.3 billion from $5.2 billion a year and add 4500 more jobs to bring total employment in the sector to 35,500. "That's not building some factory that eventually might create (jobs) or a mine that might eventuate,"" Mr Weatherill said. There have been a number of reports which have concluded that tourism is going to be one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia. Carla Elliott, from Wudinna, dines out on Streaky Bay oysters. We know that we have some of the best tourism assets in the world but we're not known so we underperform in the nation. We don't get our fair share of international tourism. We also don't get enough domestic tourism. Like the west coast, there's just so many beautiful things to see in your own state. Tourism Minister Leon Bignell said the Government was focusing on marketing the city of Adelaide because the state's regions polled higher in awareness surveys than the city. "Your capital is where the airport is so when people go online they might not see Kangaroo Island or the Barossa pop up, but if they see Adelaide (we need that) awareness that it's really close to these places," he said. To achieve these goals, plans for the next 12 months include: INVESTING in improving the quality and size of the Santos Tour Down Under. INCREASING marketing of SA in Sydney and Melbourne and expand into Brisbane. EXPANDING the state's our major events calendar. By 2017 to Government intends to: ATTRACT two additional major events each year. ESTABLISH at least one new international brand, five star or higher hotel in the CBD. INCREASE tourism expenditure in regional areas from $2.3 billion to $2.8 billion. ATTRACT 78,000 conference delegates to the Adelaide Convention Centre, generating 312,000 bed nights. Mr Bignell said the Government wanted to hear ideas for the two new major events from the public as it was a cyclist who came up with the idea for the Tour Down Under. "Who knows where the next idea could come from," he said. Mr Bignell said the Government was concentrating on making sure the existing Adelaide-direct international flights remained full but was also working toward a direct US flight. "That's something that we want to have some talks with United Airlines about or anyone else," he said. It's a fair stretch to get to LA but we might be able to come with something, say from Adelaide to Hawaii and then connect from there. We (also) think we need another luxury hotel. To be an international city we have to meet the expectations of travellers.