Tasmania’s tourism industry has welcomed parts of the state budget but warned the government not to get complacent as visitor numbers are expected to dip in the near term.
Amy Hills, chief executive of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, said the budget included several positive measures for the visitor economy but flagged tough times ahead given global uncertainty.
She pointed to the government’s own budget papers, which project visitation will slow in the short term.
The council backed funding for a range of initiatives including parks maintenance, safety and access upgrades and new support for the Tasmanian Tourism and Hospitality Academy to train future workers.
Promised funding for business events infrastructure in the north, the West Coast Wilderness Railway, the Next Iconic Walk and the Derby Masterplan were also welcomed.
The council also praised the government’s continued recognition of the role events play in boosting winter visitation and supporting regional economies and jobs.
“Confirmation of destination marketing funds for Tourism Tasmania over the next four years is welcome and a big improvement on last year’s interim budget,” Hills said.
“However with the efficiency dividend taken into account, it still represents a downward trend over time.”
“While we understand it is important that everyone works to find efficiencies, we need to ensure we remain as agile and responsive as possible in the coming years, given the uncertain global conditions.”
She said the council is looking forward to working with the government in the coming years to ensure Tasmania is not left behind by other states and terrritories.
“There’s huge opportunity ahead for our visitor economy, but it doesn’t come without its challenges especially right now with operators dealing with increased costs across the board,” she said.
