Tourism operators passing the baton to next generation with education tour
Bruny Island tourism pioneer Robert Pennicott is a self-described ‘dinosaur’ still in the game, and he’s keen to unleash the next generation of leaders.
Tasmania
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In 1999 Robert Pennicott ran tours on one 18 seat boat, at a financial loss.
Almost 30 years later the Pennicott Wilderness Journey fleet has 18 boats and is a major tourism employer with around 140 staff.
Mr Pennicott said the interconnected network of tourism operators in the state helps bring more and more visitors.
“When I started on Bruny there wasn’t a lot of tourism, just one or two operators in accommodation and very few attractions,” Mr Pennicott said.
“Now Bruny Island has really become a destination.
“Individually as one product you don’t get anywhere — it’s all the network of every one … that produces a destination and I think Tasmania is flying on a high in tourism,” he said.
Mr Pennicott said as he was a “dinosaur” ageing out of the industry it was important the next generation of tourism operators have the skills and tools to succeed in the industry.
“It’s really important for us as an industry to show there is a great career in tourism,” he said.
“It’s great to see the youth seeing a huge potential and opportunity.”
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys is supporting Sofia Tsamassiros from Eudaimonia Tasmanian Cycling Tours and other young tourism operators on an education tour in Victoria.
The Tasmanian Young Tourism Network Education Tour is a Tourism Industry Council Tasmania initiative which will send 6 young operators to view a variety of operations across Victoria’s many tourism hot spots.
TICT CEO Amy Hills said the education tour will allow the operators to hear from some of the best experts and bring their learning home.
28-year-old Ms Tsamassiros is a first time tourism operator. She started Eudaimonia Tasmanian Cycling Tours when she was feeling lost, in a bad mental health space and found solace in cycling.
She now runs cycling tours with a slow tourism ethos in regional centres such as the West Coast, Huon Valley and even Flinders Island.
After dropping out of studying medicine at university, Ms Tsamassiros was able to turn her love of cycling and passion for Tasmania into a business, but she has zero tourism experience.
She said it had been crucial to have the TICT at hand to offer support and bounce ideas off and she was looking forward to learn more from Victorian operators.
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