Business is booming for Tasmania’s hospitality industry with festive beds in demand

CHRISTMAS and New Year accommodation in Hobart and across Tasmania is almost full, with the tourism industry predicting another bumper season ahead.

East Coast luxury resort Saffire booked out more than a year ago for the Christmas and New Year period. Picture: GEORGE APOSTOLIDIS

CHRISTMAS and New Year accommodation in Hobart and across Tasmania is almost full, with the tourism industry predicting another bumper season ahead.

Rooms are booking out fast from Christmas right through to February when the 2017 Wooden Boat Festival comes to Hobart.

Federal Group’s executive corporate affairs general manager Daniel Hanna said the hotel group was gearing up for one of its busiest festive seasons.

Federal’s luxury East Coast resort Saffire sold out more than a year ago for Christmas and New Year, he said.

Salamanca Inn manager Phil Fulsang said his hotel was fully booked from New Year’s Eve into February.

The Taste of Tasmania, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and Wooden Boat Festival had created an unprecedented demand for accommodation, he said.

“It’s a really exciting time for the industry — tourism is booming and it’s great to be a part of it,’’ Mr Fulsang said.

Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief Steve Old said hotels across Hobart were very busy from now till 10 days out from Christmas, when bookings slowed down, but were extremely busy from Christmas onwards.

Mr Hanna said the few vacancies available in Federal’s hotels were not expected to last.

He said Henry Jones bookings for November were strong, with December and January bookings well ahead of this time last year. Wrest Point was fully booked for New Year’s Eve, with just a handful of rooms still available for the festive period.

Rooms at the Country Club in Launceston for New Year’s Eve sold out six months ago.

RACT executive manager for tourism Adrian Sampson said Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and Strahan hotels were close to capacity.

“We are seeing a 4 per cent increase in visitor numbers for December 2016 compared to December last year,’’ he said.

“December is traditionally very busy, especially between Christmas and New Year.

Destination Southern Tasmania chief Melinda Anderson said forward bookings were strong for the South, which was the same or up on last year.

“This trend is reflected in the far South, Port Arthur, Tasman and Derwent Valley as well as Hobart,’’ she said.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said 96 per cent of tourism operators were optimistic about the next 12 months and only 4 per cent were negative in the just released Business Sentiment Survey.

“Not many other industries in Tassie can say that,’’ Mr Martin said.

Originally published as Business is booming for Tasmania’s hospitality industry with festive beds in demand