LEVELS OF NEW INVESTMENT CONFIRM TOURISM AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR TASMANIA
The Tourism Industry Council Tasmania today highlighted the importance of tourism for the Tasmanian economy in the next five years and beyond.
TICT Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hanna said that on a statewide basis, there was well over one billion dollars worth of current and proposed tourism development to be completed in that period.
“This suite of development includes the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery redevelopment and MONA development at Moorilla in the South, Barnbougle Dunes’ expansion and the Launceston Airport Redevelopment in the North and the Corinna ecotourism venture and Pumphouse Point development in the North-West,” Mr Hanna said.
“The TICT has stated publicly in the past that the tourism industry needs more investment to achieve the ambitious targets of $4.3 billion in visitor expenditure by 2017. It is therefore very pleasing to see more than $1 billion in projects currently under way or proposed.
“But the amount of over $1 billion only includes current and proposed projects where a value is known. It does NOT include developments under $500,000 or projects that are in early planning stages. If we included those other projects, we would be looking at hundreds of millions of dollars more.
“Given this massive level of planned tourism investment in the next five years around the State, there is expected to be a huge boost to visitor expenditure, employment, and the State economy.
“For example, the TMAG redevelopment and the Museum of Old and New Art at Moorilla have the potential to attract more than 200,000 additional visitors to Tasmania each year.
Mr Hanna said that the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania had welcomed the establishment of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in February this year.
“The level of new investment in the tourism industry clearly demonstrates that the Economic Development and Tourism functions within Government are a perfect fit and complementary to each other. This is because tourism is both a major driver of Tasmania’s economic development and also benefits from wider developments in the economy.
“Tourism is a portfolio area that sits best with other functions of government that are about growth and new investment. This is why the tourism industry is so positive about remaining under the Minister for Economic Development and Tourism going forward.”
Mr Hanna said it was paramount to ensure that the level of planned investment is delivered and that the industry can achieve the target of $4.3 billion annual visitor expenditure by 2017.
“This is the target we have set in Tourism 21 – it’s an ambitious target, but the over 60 projects included within the $1,072 million suite of planned investments will go a long way to achieving it.”
The number of projects on a regional basis included:
Region Number of Projects Value (approx)
South 20 $425m
North and North-East 22 $451m
North-west and West 24 $196m
Total 66 $1,072m
MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDE
SOUTH
Hadleys Hotel redevelopment
MONA construction (Moorilla)
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery redevelopment
NORTH
Barnbougle Dunes expansion
Launceston Airport upgrade
York Cove development (Georgetown)
NORTH-WEST
Corinna ecotourism resort
Pumphouse Point (Lake St. Clair)
Tarkine projects
