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A West Coast Wilderness Railway steam train on the narrow mountain railway above a rainforest river gorge, Strahan

West Coast Wilderness Railway, Strahan

Tourism Tasmania & Nick Osborne

Tasmania’s Story of Tourism

Tourism is one of Tasmania's oldest and most significant industries. It has strengthened communities statewide, creating jobs, growing our economy, supporting infrastructure and enhancing local services, recreational activities and quality of life.

The story of tourism

Tourism Tasmania's advocacy project, the Story of Tourism, reflects on how the industry has grown and contributed to the state for more than 130-years.

The value of tourism

Investing in distinctive brand and marketing activity not only converts current demand but builds future demand for Tasmania and our operators.
Download the factsheet

Ensuring travellers choose Tasmania

Tourism underpins our brand, unlocking trade and innovation and opening opportunities for business and entrepreneurship. Visitors spent $3.710 billion in the state in the year ending December 2025. 1

1.385 million 

total visitors to Tasmania YE Dec 2025 1

52%

of visitors to Tasmania are on holiday, delivering 70% of total expenditure 1

6,490

Tasmanian businesses supported by tourism 2

50,800

15.6% or 1 in 6 of Tasmanian jobs are supported by tourism 3

+83 cents 

additional benefit generated for every tourism dollar spent 4

5.0 million

passengers carried via air and the Spirit of Tasmania 5

$3.3 billion

worth of tourism infrastructure projects creating jobs and building confidence 6

Archive tourism campaigns

Watch some of our favourite campaigns from years past, to see how things have changed and how they haven't.
Video screengrab from the 1980 Freewheelin' around Tasmania campaign with travellers and a car overlooking Hobart from kunanyi / Mount Wellington
1980 - Freewheelin' around Tasmania

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Sources

1. Tasmanian Visitor Survey YE Dec 2025
2. Tourism Businesses in Australia June 2025, Tourism Research Australia
3. Tourism Satellite Accounts 2023-24, Tourism Research Australia
4. State Tourism Satellite Accounts 2023-24, Tourism Research Australia
5. Passengers on scheduled air services and Spirit sailings, carrier data YE March 2026
6. Tourism Investment Monitor, 2023-24, Tourism Research Australia