Seventeen Tasmanian tourism businesses and four councils are sharing in more than $4 million in grants to prepare for the arrival of the state’s new Spirit of Tasmania ferries.
Tourism Minister Jane Howlett announced the recipients of the Spirit Preparedness Fund on Tuesday, with $3 million allocated to businesses for experiences and $1 million to local councils for caravan park upgrades.
“The investment is designed to prepare for the increase in visitation and to improve the visitor experience for the caravan and motorhome visitor market,” she said.
Recipients say the grants will help them adjust their business models and develop new tourism experiences ahead of the vessels’ commencement into service next year.
The largest council grant of $337,644 went to the City of Launceston for the Kanamaluka RV Rest project.
Meander Valley Council received $300,000 for a new RV park at the Deloraine Recreation Precinct, while Waratah-Wynyard and Central Coast councils also secured funding for camping infrastructure.
Business grants ranged from $52,000 to $250,000.
Evolution Biking received $250,000 for a renewable electric mountain biking hub at Blue Derby, while Cameron of Tasmania secured the same amount for an oyster bar and aquatourism venture at Dunalley.
Other projects include a floating sauna at Strahan and reactivation of empty shops in Queenstown
Shane Wilson from Tasmanian Wild Seafood Adventures, who received $195,000 for a new raw seafood bar project, said the funding would fast-track plans that could have otherwise taken years.
“The grant is going to be really beneficial … for an expansion program that we’re looking at,” he said.
“It’ll allow us to develop a new product we’re working on and it’ll allow us to really … cement our name as … a pristine pristine state with amazing seafood and nature that’s second to none.”
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Amy Hills said the industry had used the delay to focus on the types of visitors expected on the new ferries and how to encourage them to explore regional areas.
“It is vitally important we are as prepared as possible to benefit from the increased visitation from the new Spirit vessels,” she said.
Grant recipients are required to provide a cash contribution at least equal to the amount requested.
The grants form part of a $27.8 million Tourism and Hospitality Support Package announced after the vessels’ delayed arrival.
Howlett said tourism numbers were returning strongly, with the sector employing one in six Tasmanians and contributing more than $1.36 billion to the state’s economy.
“It’s wonderful that people are coming here,” she said. “They’ll get out to our regions and experience everything wonderful about Tasmania.”
However, Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anita Dow said while the funding was welcome, the support has arrived “far too late – just like Tasmanian’s new ships”.
“Tourism operators were told to prepare for a 40% increase in capacity,” she said.
“They invested, planned and carried the risk, while the Liberal Government forgot to build a berth, failed to deliver the ships on time and allowed costs to spiral out of control,” she said.
Dow said each year of delay costs the Tasmanian economy an estimated $500 million in lost activity.
When questioned about the delays to the Spirit project, Minister Howlett said she was “very much looking forward to the future”.
“We’re getting on with the job,” she said. “[The new ship] is magnificent and it is a game changer for our tourism industry.”
