Image: Tasmania's Port Arthur is one of the recipients

Australian tourism minister Martin Ferguson has announced 77 tourism projects across the country have been successful in securing a share of AU$6.7m (US$7m, EUR5.7m, £4.5m).

The support will be allocated through the 2012 round of the T-QUAL Grants initiative, with 15 of the applicants located in Queensland and 14 from Victoria.

Tourism Australia, the Department for Resources, Energy and Tourism and representatives from each state and territory tourism agencies assessed 350 bids in the latest round.

Each application was considered against criteria such as a project's contribution to the aims of the Tourism 2020 strategy, as well as the long-term financial viability.

Ferguson said: "The Australian government is demonstrating its commitment to improving productivity, quality and capacity within Australia's AU$35bn (US$36.8bn, EUR29.8bn, £23.4bn) tourism sector."

Click here for more information about the latest T-QUAL Grants allocated to tourism projects across Australia.

Image: Andrew Braithwaite