TOURISM Tasmania has added A$4 million (US$3.6 million) for promotions this year, with a focus on its Asian sales mission.
Statistics for the last fiscal year showed year-on-year 33 per cent growth of the Asian market, with China outpacing the US for the first time as the top source market.
The state received 20,400 Chinese, 19,300 Americans, 18,700 British, 15,900 New Zealanders, 15,800 Hongkongers and 7,700 Malaysians.
This month, the NTO rolled out its second Asia Mission 2014, doubling the scale to 15 tourism operators.
It comprises seminars in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (September 11-12); Greater China Trade Mission in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai (September 14-20), as well as South-east Asia New Product Mission in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (September 23-25).
Tourism Tasmania CEO, John Fitzgerald, said: “We’ll continue to support GIT offerings and also expand our FIT market in Hong Kong. We also want to draw the younger segment aged 30 years and above, and push affordable travel in the coming few years.
“One challenge is to raise enough awareness of our mission; another is access. So far, we don’t have direct international connection as the airport in Hobart can’t take wide-bodied aircraft.
“However, A$38 million has been allocated to extend the runway, targeted to complete in 2017. The terminal will also undergo refurbishment soon.”
With a target of 1.5 million visitors by 2020, Fitzgerald added the state will see an increase in the number of golf courses and hotels.
“We now have 350 new rooms under construction but we’ll need about 1,200 keys by 2020, so we hope to attract more investors in the next few years.
“Moreover, about 30 per cent of Tasmania’s land are national parks. Our government is interested in developing tourism there and is seeking ideas from the industry. By end-2014, we may have a better idea of the government’s direction.”
Federal Group, which runs four hotels, joins the mission for the first time. Executive director John Farrell said: “We observe a great deal of Asian traffic and see the market opening up in Tasmania. We are here to build awareness of the island’s charm and to understand the needs of the Asian market.“
Meanwhile, a B2C promotion in Shanghai will take place on September 20, while a stop in North China for the trade has been planned in 2015.
