Premier Will Hodgman hails record visitor numbers

THE Premier and tourism chiefs have welcomed figures revealing a boom in overseas visitor numbers.

Premier Will Hodgman, centre, at Villa Howden with owner William Wei, right. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

THE Premier and tourism chiefs have welcomed figures revealing a boom in overseas visitor numbers.

The latest data reveals a record number of international visitors to the state for the 12 months ending in March. China and the US were the state’s top international source markets with 45,900 and 44,200 visitors respectively.

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Premier Will Hodgman hailed the figures as a sign the state was on the right track.

“The latest international visitors survey reflects the fact that Tasmania’s visitor economy continues to be one of the strongest performing, in fact the strongest performing in the country and the number of international visitors wanting to come to our state remains very high,” he said.

“We have welcomed a record 300,400 visitors to our state. That’s the highest amount ever — a 20 per cent increase.

“And what’s also important is that this survey reflects the fact that they’re all staying a lot longer than before and they’re spending a lot more while they’re here.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Villa Howden owner William Wei said the change in the Tasmanian market had been noticeable.

“Throughout the last couple of years as an investor I can see tourism development is booming,” he said.

“Occupancy rates are booming as well. Government has a good policy and strategy of attracting more international and Asian tourists.”

Tourism Tasmania chief executive John Fitzgerald.

Chief executive of Tourism Tasmania John Fitzgerald said there was room to welcome more tourists on top of the 1.28 million domestic and international arrivals each year.

“What we need to do is make sure our visitors are staying longer and dispersing across the state and that’s what we’re aiming to achieve and I think these results are already showing that that’s occurring,” he said.

“I don’t know whether there’s an absolute number but the bottom line is there’s still room for growth.

“It’s how we manage that growth at key sites and how we disperse those visitors more evenly across the state and that’s what we’re aiming to do.”