C O V I D - 1 9 S U R V I V A L G U I D E
TOURISM TASMANIA John Fitzgerald CEO
Tasmania’s tourism industry, stronger together W hile I know the word ‘unprecedented’ has been largely over-used to explain our current situation, there is really no other word to describe it. Yes we’ve dealt with the global financial crisis, the SARS epidemic and pilot strikes. But never before have we encountered a situation like the current one – where our customers are no longer able to travel to our island freely and experience our products and experiences. The measures put in place by both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments have been the right ones to protect the health and safety of our community, especially vulnerable members of our society. Our industry has responded immediately, by doing everything possible to protect the safety of Tasmanians and our visitors and to protect our longer term future. Our industry is built on person to person interactions, so the social distancing and bans on public gatherings has impacted our industry first and arguably most significantly. It has not only had an economic impact on our industry, but it’s also taken an emotional toll. This is why it’s important that we take care of our own health and this is certainly a time when you or someone you know might be feeling worried, overwhelmed, anxious or afraid. There are people available to provide support and help anytime via telephone, text or webchat services, please reach out to services such as Lifeline who are ready and willing to help during this crisis. There are also a growing range of programs that may assist your business or your employees over the short to medium term. There is more information available on
Collins SBA. This service will enable you to discuss your individual situation with one of the team of experts who can help you navigate the government assistance options available. From Tourism Tasmania’s perspective, our attention has been on doing everything possible to support our industry and government during this time. This has involved working with our Visitor Economy industry partners, regional tourism organisations and agency partners to disseminate accurate updates on what has sometimes been hourly changes to your operating “We know the Tasmanian market will be the first to recover, so we are developing an intrastate campaign to encourage Tasmanians to get out into the regions… ” environment and providing feedback to government on the impacts. It has also involved communicating information about the support available to operators immediately, including mental health support, financial counselling and the Tasmanian and Australian Government assistance packages. This has been delivered through regular Tourism Talk newsletters which you can sign up to receive through our website. While, we don’t know how long the COVID-19 emergency will last, we do know that when the time is right, welcoming visitors back will be an important part of rebuilding your business, our industry and Tasmania’s economy. While Tourism Tasmania has paused or postponed most of our advertising and conversion activity during this time, we are working on a range of initiatives to stay connected to travellers and showcase our state both now and when it’s safe to travel again.
those not only in this publication but also on www.businesstasmania.tas.gov.au and www. tourismtasmania.com.au
I encourage you to take advantage of the free business advice program that is being provided by the THA through
THA HOSPITALITY—REVIEW: COVID-19 SURVIVAL GUIDE APRIL 2020 | 34
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