EDITORIAL
Minister for Hospitality and Small Business Jane Howlett
What a year it has been so far for the tourism and hospitality sector. During the traditional summer peak season we saw record breaking occupancy rates across the State following a difficult few years for the industry. Hospitality Tasmania and business operators, along with Tourism Tasmania, are to be commended on their efforts to do more to bring visitors to the island. The Liberal Government has provided strong, consistent support for the visitor economy and it is terrific to see things turning around. Working with and listening to industry has seen the implementation of initiatives like the Business Events Attraction Fund, the popular Small Business Enabling Grants Program and the Hospitality Business Boost Grants which support further growth. Tourism Tasmania has continued to promote Tasmania as a unique winter destination through the ‘Off Season’ marketing campaign, and there is little doubt this is driving growth of the visitor economy. Smoothing out the peaks and valleys of visitation supports the retention of a skilled workforce and is a key focus of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy. Supporting that, the Off Season winter program positions the cooler months as the time of the year when the state is most different to the rest of the country, a time when the days are crisp and the experiences unforgettable. The return of Dark Mofo in 2025 provided a welcome boost to the State at just the right time, boosting occupancy figures at hotels in Hobart and Launceston in June, while the Illuminate festival in the North West saw positive increases there too. Our beautiful island is a world leading tourism destination, and that reputation also drives visitors to seek out experience the best we have to offer in our pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes. The tourism and visitor spend is an essential contributor to the Tasmanian economy, local businesses and regional employment. And while tourism supports 1 in 6 jobs in Tasmania, a significant portion of those are within the hospitality sector. The tourism and hospitality industry sustains our communities, allows Tasmanians to thrive, earn an income and invest back into their own community.
The industry currently injects around $3.5 billion in visitor spending, with 1.3 million interstate and international travellers making their way here through scheduled air and sea services. remains challenging domestically and globally, the Aviation Attraction Fund has been established to ensure we can maintain, and indeed increase capacity to the island, so more of our tourism and hospitality businesses can reap the benefits. Hobart is leading the country in occupancy growth, and this is a reflection of the collaboration of industry, businesses and government to build this sector. We want to see our tourism and hospitality sector growing sustainably for the future, with $10 million invested last year into job-ready training, visitor attraction and business support. While the aviation environment Through meeting with our wonderful operators and industry leaders I understand that worker accommodation remains a challenge for our sector, particularly those in the regions. My office was pleased to collaborate closely with Hospitality Tasmania, the TICT and the Department of State Growth to host a Worker Housing Roundtable. The Roundtable was attended by the Regional Tourism Organisations, tourism and hospitality operators and key regulatory and service agencies including the Tasmanian Planning Office, Office of the Coordinator General and Homes Tasmania. There were a number of opportunities and actions arising from the session to inform Government of a coordinated and strategic response to tourism and hospitality staff housing challenges. I look forward to continue working with industry on this important matter. Even more effort has been put into cutting the red tape that has been an obstacle for licensed businesses over the past year. A lot has already been achieved, but there is more to be done and I look forward to getting on with the job. Finally, I’d like to congratulate Hospitality Tasmania for the new name and the spectacular launch event at Aura Hobart. It was an excellent chance for me to connect with you all and celebrate this exciting new chapter.
15 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
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