Mercury readers reveal what they think on tourism levy

The results of an exclusive survery conducted by the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian has revealed what Tasmanians think on the idea of a visitor levy.

Historical renovated trams owned by the council could get up and running as a tourist attraction if Hobart had a visitor/tourist levy. Pictured with the trams is Hobart Mayor, Anna Reynolds. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

MOST Tasmanians support the idea of a visitor levy to help the state cope with rapid growth in tourism.

A slight majority of 57 per cent say the state should introduce a new visitor levy, while 43 per cent are opposed to the idea.

These are the results of an exclusive survey conducted for the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian, and the result has got the attention of Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds.

Ald Reynolds said the survey mirrored the positive responses to her own office.

She said the public support was grounds for the state to start researching how a visitor levy would work.

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The community is making it clear that this is worth investigating,” Ald Reynolds said.

Some 1268 people shared their views about a levy on tourists in an exclusive Future Tassie Survey. Of those, 727 supported a levy and 541 were opposed.

Ald Reynolds said the extra money derived from a levy would allow Hobart City Council to concentrate on other core services for ratepayers, as well as develop new attractions.

“This should not be seen as an anti-tourism policy, it’s actually pro-tourism because it’s about providing high-quality infrastructure and services and having adequate resources to do that,” she said.

“As a local government we only have so much money to go around,” she said.

As well as helping maintain infrastructure, such as public toilets and walking tracks, Ald Reynolds said the levy could free up council funds to pursue other projects.

Ald Reynolds said there were several plans she would love to see implemented, but were unlikely to happen through ratepayer funds alone, including:

HERITAGE tram rides to the Botanic Gardens and a place to exhibit them;

ACTIVATING the Beaumaris Zoo site;

VISITOR centre at The Springs;

BATTERY Point walkway.

Ald Reynolds said the size of the tourism levy would need to be discussed, as well as the means of collecting it.

She suggested collection points could be at airports, or car hire companies or through accommodation businesses.

The tourism industry in Tasmania does not support a visitor levy, because of the difficulty implementing it and the added strain on tourism dollars.

Tourism Industry Council chief executive officer Luke Martin said the idea seemed “sensible at face value”, but did not stack up.

“When you look at the details it would be next to impossible to implement. We believe there are more effective ways to generate revenue from our visitors, and we shouldn’t lose site of the fact tourists will this year spend $2.5 billion within Tasmania — they pull their weight,” he said.

Destination Southern Tasmania chief executive Alex Heroys said the survey showed many Tasmanians also understood tourists were already spending a lot.

“It is completely understandable for respondents to the survey to say yes the visitor should pay but the response is not overwhelming and shows that there is a level of understanding that visitors already contribute significantly and also that raising a levy is not simple at all,” Mr Heroys said.