Government overview “It’s no secret that Tasmania has been undergoing a quiet cultural revolution of late”. Against a background of natural beauty and rich history, a new-look Tasmania has emerged. While we may be Australia’s smallest state, Tasmania is also the most geographically diverse with more than 48 per cent reserved in national parks and World Heritage Areas. Tasmania is blessed with unspoilt locations, gourmet food and wine, an iconic heritage and a distinctly seasonal climate. Tasmania’s tourism industry has successfully leveraged the exceptional and natural advantages we offer as a result of our location, small population and history. Tasmania continues to be an attractive holiday destination, supporting the development of many award winning enterprises. The tourism industry has grown to become a significant sector within the Tasmanian economy. Unique from the rest of Australia, direct flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide or Perth, offer visitors an escape for the senses. Tasmania produces a variety of famous seafood, delicious artisan cheeses, mouth-watering berries, black truffles, premium beef and lamb, saffron, wasabi, honey, extra virgin olive oil and much more. Tasmania also boasts jaw dropping wilderness experiences (eco cruises, multi-day guided walks, scenic flights and more), five World Heritage listed convict sites, some of Australia’s best golf courses and award winning paddock-to-plate experiences, unique cultural attractions as well as a range of luxury and boutique accommodation. Tourism has grown to become a significant industry within the Tasmanian economy. Tourism in Tasmania directly and indirectly contributes around $2.27 billion to the Gross State Product. Tourism directly and indirectly supports around 50,800 filled jobs in Tasmania or 15.6% of the total filled jobs, the highest share in the country. Tasmania’s tourism industry is made up of around 2,000 separate businesses.
DEMOGRAPHICS AND HISTORY Tasmania (abbreviated as Tas and known colloquially as ‘Tassie’) is an island state of Australia. It is located 240km to the south of the Australian mainland, separated by Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania and has a population of around 571,000 in 2025, just over 34% residing the Greater Hobart precinct, which forms the metropolitan area of the state capital and largest city, Hobart. Tasmania’s area is 68,401 sq km. Promoted as a natural state; protected areas of Tasmania cover about 53% of the land area of the state, which includes national parks and World Heritage Sites. Tasmania was the founding place of the first environmental party in the world. The island is believed to have been occupied by Aboriginals for 40,000 years before British colonisation. The island was permanently settled in 1803 as a penal settlement of the British Empire to prevent claims to the land by the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars; around 75,000 convicts were sent to Van Diemen’s Land before transportation ceased in 1853. The island was initially part of the Colony of New South Wales, but became a separate, self-governing colony under the name Van Diemen’s Land (named after Anthony van Diemen) in 1825. In 1854 the present Constitution of Tasmania was passed and the following year the state received permission to change its name to Tasmania. In 1901 it became a state through the process of the Federation of Australia. The state is named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who made the first reported European sighting of the island on 24 November 1642. Tasman named the island ‘Anthony van Diemen’s Land’ after his sponsor Anthony van Diemen, the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. The name was later shortened to Van Diemen’s Land by the British. It was officially renamed Tasmania in honour of its first European discoverer on 1 January 1856.
Source: Fast Facts, Tourism Tasmania May 2025. www.cg.tas.gov.au
P3
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs