Goal 1: Maximise Tasmania's tourism potential

Annual Report 2014-15

Regional Tourism

Tasmania's four Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) cover the North West and West Coast region, the South, the North and the East Coast. Supported by Tourism Tasmania, this arrangement represents a tourism industry-led approach to regional tourism in Tasmania.

These organisations set the strategic direction for tourism in their region, identify annual priorities and deliver programs that engage the participation of their industry and stakeholders.

In 2014-15, Tourism Tasmania continued to support the four RTOs in providing $970,000 in annual funding through existing three-year grants deeds to July 2015.

Now in their third year of operation, each of the RTOs has successfully implemented their strategic and marketing plans, represented the interests of their stakeholders and industry, expanded the capacity and capability of the tourism industry in their regions and implemented effective digital strategies.

Each RTO plays a critical role in providing support and leadership at a regional level through advocacy and stakeholder engagement promoting the competitive strengths of their region.

In addition, all four RTOs contributed to the TICT facilitated Industry Development Directions Statement for the Tasmanian Tourism Industry.

Over the year, highlights included Destination Southern Tasmania's successful Tips and Tipples networking events and the Cricket World Cup promotional activity.

In the North West, Cradle Coast Tourism launched the Cradle Coast Regional Events Strategy, while East Coast Tourism launched the Great Eastern Drive.

In the north, Tourism Northern Tasmania began implementing the Northern Cycling Strategy and Tourism Infrastructure Audit as well as launched the first stage of the Blue Derby Mountain Bike Trail.

The positive impact of the RTO model is evident in the increase in intrastate travel and regional visitation. In the year ending June 2015, the number of overnight intrastate holiday trips in Tasmania increased by 15 per cent and all regions experienced visitor growth for the January to March quarter of between 13 per cent (West Coast) and 28 per cent (East Coast).

The Tasmanian Government underlined its support with its commitment of a further three years and an additional $230 000 a year through the Department of State Growth for industry development to further build the capacity of the industry.

Tasmanian Visitor Information Network

The Tasmanian Visitor Information Network (TVIN) consists of 19 Visitor Information Centres distributed across the state. Network members are required to meet national standards and adhere to a code of conduct. In recognition of the important role this service plays in the provision of visitor information, Tourism Tasmania provided grants to the value of $340 000 to the gateway visitor centres of Hobart and Launceston and Blue Derby continued to fund the administration of the network.

In acknowledging the rapidly changing environment of visitor information provision, particularly with the advent of new technologies, Tourism Tasmania worked with the TVIN to ensure the network remains responsive to visitor and industry expectations and continues to provide a valued role in the tourism distribution chain as well as in their local communities.

Tourism Tasmania will continue to work with TVIN and gateway visitor centres to provide contemporary visitor servicing and further align the activities of the network with the Regional Tourism Organisations.

T21

T21 (previously Tourism 21) is a joint strategic business plan agreed to between the Tasmanian Government and Tasmania's tourism industry represented by the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania (TICT). The Tasmanian Government established the plan more than a decade ago to improve the performance, competitiveness and structural efficiency of Tasmania's tourism industry.

Since then, the government and TICT have regularly reviewed the plan to ensure it remains relevant to the prevailing economic climate and that the plan's goals are achievable.

With the shared Tasmanian Government and industry policy to attract 1.5 million visitors a year by 2020, the government and TICT are reassessing the goals and strategies.

Rather than a minor adjustment however, government and industry aim to revise the plan's fundamental strategies – knowing that to achieve the target will require a more holistic approach than that embodied in the earlier plan. T21 – The Tasmanian Visitor Economy Strategy 2015-2020 aligns multiple areas of government and the private sector and not just Tourism Tasmania.

Success in reaching the new target will require us to overcome existing constraints on growth including the need to develop new infrastructure, the need to grow a quality service culture in Tasmania and the need for more and cheaper access to the island by air and sea carriers.

Tourism Tasmania participated in a series of workshops around the state to gather contributions from interested stakeholders on how to best overcome the barriers to growth.

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