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Industry - Newsletter
Tourism Talk Edition 241
TASMANIA ON MERCURIO’S NEW MENU
Tasmania’s food and wine travel experiences are being showcased on a new Australian lifestyle television series, Mercurio’s Menu.
Over half a million interstate viewers tuned in to see the first of two Tasmanian episodes – a tour of southern Tasmania’s food and wine experiences – when it went to air on Channel Seven recently.
Hosted by popular television presenter and keen foodie, Paul Mercurio, each 30-minute episode of Mercurio’s Menu is dedicated to one of Australia’s premier food destinations.
Thousands more will see the series each week when it begins running on Jetstar Airlines in-flight entertainment program on all 78 weekly international flights.
The Tasmania’s South episode features Mures Restaurant in Hobart, a fishing expedition on the Tasman Peninsula, Bruny Island oysters, cherries and fudge, and sheep’s milk cheese from Grandvewe at Woodbridge.
An episode featuring the food and wine experiences of Tasmania’s North will air during April, showcasing Angasi Restaurant at Binalong Bay, the Tamar Valley’s Ninth Island Vineyard and acclaimed chef Daniel Alps, Leavenbank Woodfired Bakery at St Helens, raspberries from Christmas Hills, Gone Fishing Charters and the lobsters from Salty Seas Seafood.
The series’ producers spent eight days in the State earlier this year filming the two Tasmanian episodes, supported by Tourism Tasmania’s Visiting Journalists Program and Jetstar.
Tourism Tasmania contributed $30,000 to support the production of each Tasmanian episode.
The television series is expected to provide Tasmania with destination promotion valued in the millions of dollars. Screening of the Tasmania’s South episode has already provided the State with an equivalent advertising value (EAV) of approximately $3 million.
The collaboration with Jetstar and the series’ producers, WTFN Entertainment, is another example of how Tourism Tasmania is working smarter to make an impact in the tourism marketplace.
Tasmanians will have a chance to see the Tasmania’s South episode on Saturday 22 March at 5.30pm on Southern Cross with the episode on Tasmania’s North expected to air at the same time on Saturday 13 April 2008.
STREET RODS SPEND EASTER TOURING TASSIE
More than 400 Street Rod vehicles are in the State this Easter for the 2008 Island State Street Rod Nationals.
It’s the third time Tasmania has hosted the Australian Street Rod Federation’s Regional Nationals and this year is the biggest the State has seen.
There are 425 of the classic American cars participating in the event – an increase of approximately 200 on the 2002 Tasmanian event – and they’ll be accompanied by around 1,000 interstate visitors.
These numbers confirm Tasmania’s popularity as an event destination is growing.
Supported by Events Tasmania through its Touring Event Grant Program, the Street Rod Nationals is just one of 18 touring events the program has attracted to the State in 2008.
It is estimated that this year’s touring events will bring more than 3,000 event visitors to the State for an average of nine nights and returning approximately $4 million to the Tasmanian economy – a substantial return on investment in this important tourism sector.
As well as boosting Tasmania’s appeal as a touring destination, the touring clubs also bring social, economic and cultural benefits to regional communities as they tour the State before, during and after the event.
For more information on the program, visit Events Tasmania's website.
WORLD STAGE FOR TOWN OF MURALS
There will be an international flavour to the north-west town of Sheffield next week as it hosts the 2008 International Mural Fest and the Global Mural Conference.
The annual Mural Fest kicks off on Easter Sunday, 23 March, and sees nine artists from around the world take part in a week-long mural “paint off” in Sheffield’s Mural Park.
The theme for this year’s Mural Fest, and the inspiration for the nine artists, is Mark Wasley’s The Gathering. The paint off is open to the public to watch during the week with the winner announced on Saturday 29 March.
Coinciding with the mural festivities, over 100 international delegates will be in Sheffield for the sixth annual Global Mural Conference. Keynote speakers will explore the themes of arts, community and tourism – three concepts very close to the enterprising community of Sheffield who this week launched an innovative new tourism experience.
Visitors to Sheffield will now be able to explore the town’s famous murals with the help of a new audio tour that provides a simple, fun and economical way of hearing the stories behind the murals.
The audio tour was developed by the Kentish Visitor Centre, with the assistance of the Tasmanian Government through the Tasmanian Visitor Information Network (TVIN) Visitor Experience Assistance Program.
Launching the audio tour on Wednesday, Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, Paula Wriedt, said the new tour would not only enhance the visitor experience in the ‘Town of Murals’ but the revenue from the mural audio tours would add to visitor centre’s ongoing sustainability.
The audio tours are available for hire from the Kentish Visitor Information Centre in Sheffield.
BARNBOUGLE IN TOP FIVE AUSTRALIAN GOLF COURSES
Tasmania’s Barnbougle Dunes golf course has been ranked the fifth best golf course in the country by Australian Golf Digest magazine.
The north-east links course, opened in 2004, is the only course from the 2006 top ten to improve its ranking in 2008, jumping two places to be ahead of Royal Adelaide (sixth) and Victoria’s Metropolitan (seventh).
Also making the biennial list of Australia’s top 100 courses were the Tasmania (62) and Royal Hobart (74) golf courses in the State’s south.
The Golf Digest top 100 list is widely considered to be the most comprehensive and reliable in the country. Courses from all states and territories are ranked by a panel of judges against four criteria: shot value, design variety, memorability and conditioning.
For the full list see the Australian Golf Digest online.
FAREWELL TO TWO HIGHLY REGARDED COLLEAGUES
Tourism Tasmania farewells two highly regarded, long-serving colleagues from the Launceston Tourism Distribution Office next month.
After almost 10 years of taking Tasmanian product to the market with TasTemptations, Gail Murray has made the decision to retire from the workforce. As Manager of Sales and Marketing, Gail has served the industry and the organisation with enormous dedication and enthusiasm. She will be sorely missed by industry and her colleagues alike.
After starting with Tourism Tasmania some 30 years ago as a junior typist, Tanya Hanson is saying goodbye to take up a new and exciting challenge within the tourism industry. Tanya has gained extensive experience across a range of areas at TasTemptations, from IT support to product management and most recently as Manager of Electronic Business. Tanya’s knowledge and experience will continue to bring tremendous value to the tourism industry.
We thank Tanya and Gail for their significant contributions to Tourism Tasmania and the tourism industry, and wish them all the very best for their future endeavours.
INDUSTRY BRIEFING FROM TOURISM AUSTRALIA
Tourism Australia is hosting a free market briefing for the Tasmanian tourism industry in Hobart on 3 April 2008.
The briefing will deliver the latest market intelligence on Australia’s top tourism markets; changes in the marketplace and expectations for the next 12 months; in-market and domestic activities for 2008, analysis of issues and trends that affect international and domestic tourism; as well as information to assist with planning for the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE).
There will also be two breakout sessions offered to participants, they are:
- Tourism Research Australia (TRA) – How can TRA help you? What free reports are available to Industry?
- Digital Marketing including Google – How to navigate your way around the digital marketing world.
When? Thursday, 3 April 2008, from 9.00am to 2.30pm
Where? Rydges Hotel, Hobart
How much? FREE
Registration is essential.
To register visit: www.tradeevents.australia.com
FREE E-MARKETING SEMINAR WITH INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXPERT
Tourism Tasmania is supporting a free seminar by visiting British-Canadian Anna Pollock, CEO of DestiCorp and co-founder of the Icarus Foundation, and is inviting industry colleagues to attend.
Ms Pollock has over 30 years experience as a consultant to the international tourism industry, and the seminar will focus on changes in the world of marketing and understanding consumer behaviour.
When? Monday, 31 March 2008 at 6.00pm
Where? Stanley Burbury Theatre, University Centre, University of Tasmania, Churchill Avenue, Hobart
How much? FREE
No registration necessary.
For more information contact Robyn Geason at Tourism Tasmania:
Phone: 03 62308360
Email: Robyn.Geason@tourism.tas.gov.au
TIGERTOUR UPDATE
Tourism Tasmania’s TigerTOUR database feeds information about tourism product directly into the consumer website discovertasmania.com.
Here’s a summary of recent additions to the TigerTOUR database. Tourism Tasmania’s Product Consultants can assist you updating your business details, email: TigerTOUR@tourism.tas.gov.au or phone: (03) 6230 8229.
New tourism product added to TigerTOUR
Accommodation:
- Port Huon Cottages, Port Huon
- Possums Bed & Breakfast, Lindisfarne
- Sheffield Cabins, Sheffield
Attractions:
- 1 On Park - Art Gallery, Dodges Ferry
- Art Etude and The World of Marbles, Sheffield
- Simon Martin Whips, Devonport
- Village in a Villa Hanby Town, Hobart
Hire:
- Ben Lomond Snow Sports, Blessington