Tyrrell slams lack of rural tourism focus

INDEPENDENT Senator for Tasmania Tammy Tyrrell voiced her concerns about regional tourism promotion after reviewing statistics from the Tasmanian Hospitality Association, which revealed North-West Coast hotels had just a 38 per cent occupancy rate in June.

June occupancy rates across the state, at 56.75 per cent, were the lowest since 2018, excluding the Covid period, and were nearing the lowest levels seen in a decade.

Senator Tyrrell specifically targeted Tourism Tasmania and state-funded regional tourism board. West by North-West claiming the agencies were not doing enough to promote events in regional areas of the state.

“Everywhere I go in Tasmania, there are small communities that feel overlooked by Tourism Tasmania,” she said.

During a recent visit to the West Coast, several business owners shared with her that while Tourism Tasmania representatives had met with them, they provided little meaningful support.  “They come down, talk to us, but we receive no significant backing or promotion from them,’” Ms Tyrrell said.

A spokesperson for Tourism Tasmania highlighted that this year saw the state’s largest investment ever in a winter marketing campaign.

“Tourism Tasmania has worked closely with operators statewide to create more than 500 unique Off Season experiences and events, which were promoted through various channels,” the spokesperson said.

Regional OFF Season experiences were featured in advertising and the agency’s Odd Jobs campaign, which spotlighted unique unpaid roles like ‘Wombat Walkers’ and ‘Wine Whisperers’, reportedly reached a global audience of more than  1.3 billion. 

Latrobe Mayor Peter Freshney said the council handled event promotion through traditional and social media, with little assistance from WxNW.

 “It may have been listed on the Tourism Tasmania website as part of their OFF-season promotion but real promotion is needed,” he said.

King Island Tourism president Adam Hely said that the comments are unfair and lack understanding.

“We have wonderful support from WxNW,” he said.

“Regional tourism groups go to WxNW who act as a conduit or provide advocacy to Tourism Tasmania, Events Tasmania, State Growth and similar agencies.

“They don’t have a marketing or promotion budget, that’s not their mandate.

“Tourism Tasmania provides the tools, opportunities and information about their campaigns and how to be part of the promotion or whatever,  it’s then up to businesses, operators, councils or whoever in the tourism sector to get actively involved.