Tesla vehicles will be on show Hobart for this weekend’s Sustainable Living Festival, which Rob Manson from I Want Energy is taking part in. Picture: RICHARD JUPE
TASMANIA’S annual event-fuelled awakening has begun and work to extend the state’s busy season by staging festivals and other drawcards during the shoulder visitor seasons is now bearing fruit.
A myriad of events this weekend heralds what is traditionally seen as Tasmania’s revival after a winter slowdown.
From international cricket showdowns, to garden festivals at stately historic estates and agricultural and monster truck shows, roads are expected to be busy this weekend.
Tourism experts say efforts to lengthen Tasmania’s famous summer festival season are paying off with the “good times” now extending past April.
The aim is to extend it even further — from September through to June — with a new series of winter drawcards to encourage people to brave the elements.
“Basically from this point in the year we say “it’s on” in Tasmania,” Tourism Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said.
“However, this year most tourism operators report they have been busy since the start of October and we hope to see that trend continue out past Easter,” he said.
Last year TT-Line started its peak season day sailings in October but this year, to cope with demand, the additional day sailings started in mid-September, with nearly 3000 passengers booked to travel on the Spirits during the first weekend of additional sailings alone.
“We are working to grow the shoulders of our busy season through more events. It is really important to get people circulating for longer,” Mr Martin said.
“We know this summer is going to be up on last year but now the challenge is to prolong the good times and get people into the regions as well to experience the festivals and special events outside Hobart.”
Premier and Tourism Minister Will Hodgman said there was signs this was already happening.
“The economic benefits to Tasmania are huge. Importantly, we are seeing more visitors travel to regional parts of the state, which is a huge boost to local economies and helping create more jobs in regional Tasmania,” a spokesman said.
“Visitor numbers to Tasmania continue to increase as we head towards our goal of 1.5 million visitors by 2020. As visitor numbers increase, the peak season is starting earlier and lasting longer.”
The special energy Tasmania exhibits from November onwards is getting more pronounced as the state’s tourism reputation grows.
The trend is vitally important to Tasmania’s economy as well, with the direct and indirect contribution of tourism to the state’s GSP the highest in Australia at over 4 per cent.
Visitors to Tasmania spent over $1.95 billion on accommodation, attractions, tours, transport and other goods and services in the year to December 2015.
This amount was 11 per cent higher than the previous year. This year’s figures are predicted to be higher again.
We are spoiled for choice for things to do this weekend.
Australia will take on South Africa at Blundstone Arena, the Breath of Life Film Festival will be staged in Launceston and MONA’s On the Origin of Art exhibition will continue to draw crowds.
The Sustainable Living Festival, which attracted 10,000 people last year, will bring Hobart’s waterfront alive along with the ever-popular Salamanca market and the Point to Pinnacle footrace.
It is not just Hobart and Launceston where the action is happening.
The Huon show is expected pull a crowd of about 15,000 in the south while the Scottsdale Show will keep things ticking over in the northeast.
The Woolmers Rose Festival is always popular and the Lake Leake Revival Bike Show should draw a solid crowd.
The Tas Dragway Motorfest 2016, complete with Jetcar Challenge, is on and monster trucks are heading for Devonport Showground for a celebration of all things big and loud.
Burnie will welcome its first cruise ship of the season — the Sun Princess with 2900 passengers on board — today.
Around the state, the number of cruise ships has grown by two thirds, with 95 cruise ships due to arrive this season, compared to 57 for the 2015-16 season.
Originally published as Our huge weekend of fun
