Tourism Priorities State Election 2014
Our Purpose
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania (TICT) is the peak body that represents and acts for the Tasmanian tourism industry. The TICT plays an important role in the changing tourism landscape; • promoting the value of tourism and industry priorities to government and the community • providing a strategic direction and strong voice for the sustainable development and growth of the Tasmanian tourism industry
Our Vision
Our vision is a world class tourism industry in Tasmania • generating sustainable economic and employment opportunities for the Tasmanian community; • working with government and the community to develop quality products, services and experiences for our visitors.
Our Council
ASSOCIATIONS 6 REPS
TRANSPORT 4 REPS
REGIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATIONS 4 REPS
ACCOMODATION & HOSPITALITY OPERATORS 6 REPS
EXPERIENCES, ATTRACTIONS &SPECIALIST TOURISM SERVICES’ OPERATORS 4 REPS
HOSTED ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA (HAA) Margaret Morgan (President)
HOBART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Melinda Percival (Business Development Manager)
CRADLE COAST AUTHORITY TOURISM EXECUTIVE Rod Stendrup (Chairman)
LENNA OF HOBART Lloyd Clark (Director)
SIMON CURRANT & ASSOCIATES Simon Currant (Proprietor)
BUSINESS EVENTS TASMANIA (BET) Stuart Nettlefold (CEO)
LAUNCESTON AIRPORT Pamela Graham (CEO)
TOURISM NORTHERN TASMANIA James McKee (Chairman
KRITIKOS NOMINEES James Cretan (Director)
MONA Mark Wilsdon (Business Manager)
TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA (TAA) John Dabner (Chairman)
QANTAS Stephen Farquar (State Manager)
EAST COAST REGIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION David Reed (Chairman)
STANLEY SEAVIEW INN Clint Walker (Managing Director)
TasVACATIONS Cameron Brett (Managing Director)
HOBART AIRPORT HOTEL & TRAVEL PARK Ken Stronach (General Manager)
PENNICOTT WILDERNESS JOURNEYS Robert Pennicott (Managing Director)
GREAT WALKS OF TASMANIA GROUP Ian Johnstone (Chairman)
SPIRIT OF TASMANIA Charles Griplas (CEO)
DESTINATION SOUTHERN TASMANIA Vincent Barron (Chairman)
TASMANIAN HOSPITALITY ASSOCIAITION (THA) Stephen Old (CEO)
INNKEEPERS TASMANIA Ian Rankine (CEO)
CARAVAN, RV ACOOMODATION (CRVA) Stuart Lamont (CEO)
Representing industry & sectorial associations in the tourism industry
FEDERAL GROUP Bernard Dwyer (Director of Tourism)
Representing the transport industry including both external carriers (air & sea) and internal carriers (taxis, car rentals and coaches)
Representing the four regional tourism associations and their constituents
Representing individual operators of accommodation and hospitality based business.
Representing individual operators of Visitor Based Experiences, Attractions & Specialist Tourism Services
Our Platform
To secure a commitment from Tasmania’s major political parties to prioritise in the next term of government the key policy reforms and investments needed to achieve the Tourism 21 goal of a $2.1 billion in visitor spending in the Tasmanian tourism industry by 2021.
Our Priorities Priority 1 – Political Leadership for Tourism Tourism rightly holds high status in the community, as one of the most positive and valuable aspects of Tasmania’s economy. Over 35,000 Tasmanians are reliant on the economic activity generated by tourism; all five Tasmanian electorates feature in the top 15 most tourism dependent electorates in Australia. For Tasmania’s tourism industry to achieve its full potential, all areas of government and industry that contribute to tourism need to be engaged in the industry. This requires strong political leadership from the Tasmanian government.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• a ‘Premier for Tourism’, leading and championing tourism within Government & the Tasmanian Community • A whole of government approach to Tourism, through a dedicated cabinet sub-committee focussed on tourism issues and strategies • a joint whole of government and industry plan for Tourism, to achieve the new Tourism 21 Goal, through all relevant government agencies and industry sectors contributing to agreed priorities for industry development.
Our Priorities Priority 2 – Tourism Tasmania’s Structure and Role The original intent of the Tourism Tasmania Act 1996 was an independent industry-based Board, directing an organisation for the benefits of industry, free from the constraints of government bureaucracy. TICT is seeking a commitment from a future Tasmanian Government to re-establish Tourism Tasmania as a truly independent marketing organisation for the State, responding to market forces and not departmental restraints.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• an independent Tourism Tasmania structure, with the CEO reporting to the Board, and the board reporting directly to the Minister, not through another agency • a destination marketing focussed Tourism Tasmania, with provision for industry support and policy advisory services within the broader public sector • a commitment to the original intent of the Tourism Tasmania Act 1996 providing a clear framework for a market driven Tourism Tasmania
Our Priorities Priority 3 – Funding Support for Tourism Tasmania Every $1 million invested in Tourism Tasmania’s Destination Marketing activities generates between $6 and $19 million of additional economic activity, and supports between 25 and 40 new jobs. The Tasmanian Government has significantly underinvested in Tourism Tasmania as a proportion of total expenditure over the last decade or more. Funding for Tourism Tasmania, and in particular its marketing budget, falls far behind the expenditure of other State Tourism Organisations in both relative and absolute terms, and comparable Tasmanian Government investment in other industries and sectors.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• an immediate injection of $4 million funding for Tourism Tasmania in the 2014/15 State Budget, restoring cuts to Tourism Tasmania’s budget. • a goal of $20 million destination marketing expenditure within the next term of government, to be achieved through additional funding and resources, and the reallocation of funds and efficiencies within the organisation.
Our Priorities Priority 4 – Funding for Events Events are an important and effective demand generating activity for Tasmanian tourism, underpinning Tasmania’s culturally vibrant brand and easing the impacts of seasonality. The Tasmanian Government has a critical role to play in supporting the staging of major events in Tasmania through grants and other assistance. Tasmania needs a well-funded, strategic events program,
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• a single, competitive funding pool for major events, incorporating all Tasmanian Government funding for major events • greater industry involvement in decision making, by returning Events Tasmania to Tourism Tasmania and establishment of a Major Events Committee including industry representatives to contribute to the assessment process • a strategic approach to public events funding focussed on seasonality , regional dispersal achieving measurable economic & cultural returns, and transparency in the application and assessment process.
Our Priorities Priority 5 – Tourism Activity in Parks, Reserves and Natural Areas Tourism is considered one of the world’s most sustainable industries. Parks, reserves and natural areas are core components of Tasmania’s Tourism brand, attracting high yielding visitors seeking quality wilderness experiences. Visitors and the Tasmanian community should be able assured access and the ability to experience areas of extraordinary natural beauty through sustainable tourism activity.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• support for low-impact commercial tourism in the reserve system, including private capital investment. • additional resources for Parks and reserve management, to appropriately manage existing major state-owned wilderness attractions and visitor services • A proactive approach to encouraging iconic visitor experiences in the reserve system, by providing policy and planning support for private and public sector investment in tourism product and visitor infrastructure within the reserve system.
Our Priorities Priority 6 –Passenger Access Increases to the availability and affordability of sea and air passenger transport across Tasmania result in significant, proven benefits to our tourism industry, the wider economy and local community. In a competitive visitor market, ensuring access to Tasmania is critically important. Air travel delivers the majority of passengers to our state, but sea visitors stay longer, spend more and travel further.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
• a whole of government approach to air access, working to maintain capacity and affordability in the market and developing business cases to attract airline investment to the State. • A Government strategy and business plan to double sea passenger arrivals to Tasmania, within a decade, through increased visitor demand on the Spirit of Tasmania
Our Priorities Priority 7 – Major Tourism Infrastructure Continuing to invest in major public visitor infrastructure that encourage visitation into regional areas and leverage private investment. Government has a critical role to play in the development of tourism through investment in public visitor infrastructure and experiences that attract new visitor market markets and stimulate private sector investment.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania calls for
completion of the Three Capes Track project as Tasmania’s world leading walk upgrading the South West Track to a ‘great walks of Australia’ standard investment in the North-East Rail Trail project completing the upgrade of the West Coast Wilderness Railway and restoring the full Queenstown-Strahan experience • a clear timeframe and vision for the redevelopment of the Macquarie Point Railyards site into a major multi-use precinct for Hobart. • Funding to encourage free wifi connections across Tasmania
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Our Priorities The TICT calls on Government, Opposition and Independent members of parliament to support the key priorities of the Tourism industry. • • • • • • •
Priority 1 – Political Leadership for Tourism Priority 2 – Tourism Tasmania’s Structure and Status Priority 3 – Funding Support for Tourism Tasmania Priority 4 – Funding for Events Priority 5 – Tourism Activity in Parks, Reserves and Natural Areas Priority 6 – Passenger Access Priority 7 – Major Tourism Infrastructure