Domestic and international visitors on the rise

Discuss About The Tasmanian Tourism Snapshot For Year Ending.

The year 2015 saw tourism operators in Tasmania, scoop most of the top ten awards in one of the national ceremonies that were organized by the national industry awards. Tassie dominated the scene as it scooped 10 golds,3 silvers and 3 bronzes of the 29 awards that were given (Kimmorley, 2015). Tassie was branded and recognized for having the most number of visitors both from the local and overseas countries. The state has been receiving most visitors as per chief of Tasmania Tourism. Among the prized were places that had historical sites, cruise firms and cultural festivals which won gold awards in multiples.

The month of March saw more than 800,000 tourist arrivals and this increased up to 13 percent compared to the same period in last year (Tourism Research Australia, 2017). By the end of March, more than 9 million visitors were reported to have arrived in Tasmania and this was an increase of 7.7% compared to the previous year (Tourism Research Australia, 2017). Leisure arrivals went on driving the growth of international arrivals as there was an increase by more than 9.5 percent in the last 12 months (Tourism Research Australia, 2017).

The tourism economy in Tasmania has seen rapid growth as more than $ 3 billion contributed to the state by domestic tourists in 2016 and this was an increase of 1% from 2015 (Tourism Research Australia, 2017). The state has also recorded an increase in the number of international tourists over the period as more than 3 million tourists have been reported to spend their night in Tasmania.

In comparison to other states, the growth of travelers in Tasmania has been propelled by the holiday segment rather than education and investments. According to the current state by tourism report, Tourism Satellite Account revealed that the tourism industry was responsible to contributing more than 1.2 billion to the economy of Tasmania and was also responsible for employing approximately 170000 individuals (Tourism Research Australia, 2017). Since tourism is an industry that has got robust links to other segments of the economy, the direct effects have made the industry to contribute directly to the economy to approximately $ 2.7 billion which is equated to more than 10.5 % of the GDP in Tasmania alone (Tourism Research Australia, 2017).

Column1	Direct tourism contribution	Column2	Total tourism contribution	Column3
	Gross Regional Product($m)	Employment (‘000)	GRP($m)	employment(‘000)
Southern Tasmania	674	8.3	1,085	13.9
Northern Tasmania	221	3.4	314	4.6
East Coast	123	1.6	213	2.9
North West	276	3.4	442	5.7
West	37	0.4	48	0.6
Regional Tasmania	658	8.9	1,018	13.8
Rest of Australia			691	9.6
Tasmania	1332	17.2	2,794	37.4

One of the gold awards was one of the Port Arthur Historic sites in one of the categories known as the major tourist attractions. The site is situated in the Southeast of Tasmania precisely on the Tasman Peninsula and is rated as one of Australia’s most evocative convict site. In the list are 30 buildings, ruins and renovated ancient homes that span across more than 30 hectares of landscaped grounds (Kimmorley, 2015).

Top tourist attractions and award-winning places to visit in Tasmania

The island won a gold award in the category of tourist attractions due to its wilderness cruise that extends for a period of three hours and entails exploring the rugged coastline of the island in the southern part of Tasmania. During the cruise, visitors enjoy seeing some of the highest sea cliffs in Australia as they penetrate the deep caves in the sea.

The Woodford Folk Festival has been known for winning Gold awards in categories such as Major Festivals and Events in the past few years. The annual festival normally runs for a period of six days and nights and is hosted on 500-acre parkland that is situated on Coast Hinterland an hour’s journey from the north of Brisbane. However, the festival of Woodfordia has been transformed in such a manner that it is now a village that can accommodate more than 20,000 individuals

The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is also not left out in the list of places that have won themselves Gold award particularly in the category of Festivals and Events for its yearly 10-day celebration of spring (Ryan, 2016). The carnival has been described as the longest operational event of its nature in Australia. It is a traditional party that integrates mixed flowers, food, and entertainment.

The old woolstore apartment hotel has won itself Gold Awards in the category of business tourism. The accommodation in the old wool store situated in Hobart is strategically located in the city center and combines a special choice of hotel rooms that are fully serviced as well as an incorporated range of meeting and conference facilities.

With the recent leaking of a recent draft management outline for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), has facilitated and triggered a series of debates over the benefits of tourism development in areas that are defined as protected. Particularly, the plan recommends of reclassification of numerous “wilderness zones” that were previously defined in a management plan of 1999 that encompassed four recreational territories giving a go-ahead to new tourism accommodation progress that would occur in place within the Tasmanian wilderness (Choi & Sirakaya, 2008). However, this is deemed to be sacrilege to most conservationists who are of the notion that wilderness such as that witnessed in forests of Tasmania should be untouched and that the masses should be locked away from accessing such places so that the quality of such forests get preserved.

The potential for sustainable tourism in Tasmania’s wilderness

It is interesting of how the draft management plan recommends scrapping the term wilderness from the title TWWHA as it is viewed as problematic for the aboriginal people of Tasmania who have been reported to inhabit the region for more than millennia now and the aboriginal people regard the concept of wilderness as incompatible with the nations and their acclaimed heritage that is within the domain of World Heritage Area (The Conversation, 2015). The baffling question is why it is frightening of people considered non-Aboriginal encroaching such a region in the modern era specifically if it is done in a manner that is sustainable.

Also, it is important to consider whether sustainable tourism could act as an educational instrument in developing and molding a larger battalion of conservationists. This provokes the minds of people and begs the question of whether sustainable tourism is a realistic probability in Tasmania’s wilderness. Frankly, the development of sustainable tourism entails many things at a go, for instance, it is responsible for turning in profits, encourage environmental protection and preserve cultures locally which has the benefit of satisfying visitors. In a region such as TWWHA, protection of natural values can be catastrophic specifically since the environment is responsive to matters of erosion, denigration, and maladies such as the dieback.

One of the prerequisites of the World Heritage Convention is that nations that have identified as signatories have to create awareness of the special values of the heritage in the area. One strategy to ensure and enhance this would be through the development of sustainable tourism. This, on the other hand, leads to the development of a group of the new generation made of conservationists and protectors that have been attracted from the various caliber of tourists who may never have labeled themselves as environmentalists. The channel by which this could be attained is referred to as interpretation which entails guiding and teaching visitors about virtues of conserving resources that are natural and cultural in nature in places they make visits. Research reveals that in most cases, profound and meaningful encounters with the environment can make travelers establish and develop their intentions towards the environment. The change of these intentions to actual behavior is not clear but with regards to the preliminary research that is ongoing, there are indicators that such intentions have a high likelihood of changing.

Though there are exhibits that indicate substantial potential for benefiting from positive outcomes with regards to the development of TWWHA, there is an absolute need for matching the purpose. Current research indicates that in some regions, stakeholders such as regulators, groups from the community and in some instances, tourism operators are frightened of the future of sustainable tourism development.

Involving local community in tourism development

The research has also gone a notch higher by recommending that tourism developments that are large scale such as the ecolodges are not supported widely in regions such as the southwest territories of TWWHA with the inclusion of existing visitors to the region. However, most of the residents are of the notion that the one-size fits all strategy to development is inappropriate. This translates to various modes of development will be required in various regions and in some locations, it may be inappropriate. As per Tasmania, it is known to be fragile, special and gaining significance as a well-established destination of tourism. Tourism as now heralded as the hope for Tasmania following decline and fall of industries such as mining and forestry. As such tourism is the only hope of generating revenue and creating jobs as well as ensuring that the natural beauty and culture gets preserved.

Despite the fact that tourism can create employment opportunities that can lead to the development of communities, tourism development can also generate negative impacts on the environment, disrupt the lives of local people and create a huge gap between those already in the industry and some members of the community (Simpson, 2011). Thus, it is crucial to include and engage members of the local community as a component of planning tourism progress while evaluating their opinions about increased tourism. A report was generated that summarized the findings of community perceptions on the impact of tourism on people of Tasmania.

The primary motive of this study that was conducted in Tasmania was to gauge the impact of increased tourist traffic on famous tourists’ communities and their inhabitants and to examine if the advantages linked with tourism outweighed the negative impacts (Tourism Tasmania, 2017). The latest research focused on the Tasman territory that is situated southeast of Hobart which harbors fishing, forestry, and some agricultural industries with tourism included. The region is reported to have a population of approximately more than 200 people and this number can go high up to 9000 during summer seasons and entails substantial non-resident commonly known as the shackies (Tourism Tasmania, 2018).

Generally, there were positive comments towards tourism among the members of the community in Tasmania. Many of those interviewed appreciated the potential that tourism has brought to the Tasman region as they understood the substantial beauty the region offers (Deloitte, 2013). They also recognized that tourism has brought spiraling economic benefits, created job opportunities and better recreational amenities in the region of Tasmania.

Negative factors were linked to congested roads and the lack of appropriate infrastructure to accommodate tourists that came into the region (Tovar & Lockwood, 2008). Also, there were concerns that tourism development may negatively impact or harm the natural environment. The respondents from smaller communities also felt that tourists were not dispersing from big towns to their towns.

One of the positive sentiment that was levied in favor of tourism in the region of Tasman was heckled by support for progressing tourism development in the region. Approximately 56% of the community wanted to witness the growth of tourism in Tasmania (The Conversation, 2015). Most members of the community also demonstrated their passion of wanting to be part of this growth, with 39% of permanent locals already absorbed and working in the industry and the other 39% saying that they would wish to be engaged in future (The Conversation, 2015).

Moral decadence is also another root evil of tourism. Most of the places and regions that harbor terrorists rarely go without issues of prostitution cropping up. This is from the fact that visitors are associated with bringing more money and as such happens to be the main focus for the marginalized communities who prioritize prostitution as their way of livelihood. Tasmania is no exception and with the introduction of sex laws that legalized the practice in Tasmania where no more than two sex workers were to combine and solicit their affairs has made the situation dire. Prostitution has always had the effect of luring young girls into the trade and some of these girls are minors making such a practice unacceptable among community members. It is also through tourism that practices such as gay and lesbianism get introduced into the practices of local communities.

It was concluded that despite hurdles such as overcrowding, congestion, and environmental damage are some of the emerging issues that need to get monitored and managed, though they are not impediments that can hinder the development of tourism. It is through the consultations with the local residents that make the residents feel a sense of ownership of developments made as well as the management of facilities and infrastructure are critical for supporting the growth of tourism.

Engaging the community in tourism matters has the effect of making sustainable tourism development. With such a policy that engages the community, viability can be developed by initiating well-established communication channels that are well managed by governments that are receptive. The satisfaction of tourists is a crucial element of sustainable tourism with regards to the community for enhancing economic viability on a long-term basis for domestic tourism.in order to enhance sustainable tourism, some components such as planning, management of tourists, planning, and management at the national level are important.

Also, for tourism to be wholly sustainable, it is important to have policies that protect both national and local culture, improve social and well-being of individuals and also preserve the environment and its surroundings. Social and natural environments are entitled to protection and conservation while their biocentric values have to be protected at all costs. It is evidence of how sustainable tourism helps reduce adverse effects on the environment by implementing education and training facilities through the development of control systems.

Increased participation in the process of policy-making and decentralization of political matters have identified as key elements in enhancing sustainable development. Extensive consultation with the public where the main emphasis is placed on working with the community has been known to generate positive effects. Such transformation of politics from the bottom means that communities are better placed to play important roles as pacemakers and generators of impulse in the sustainable tourism process.

Conclusion

The actual making of sustainable tourism in the TWWHA a success depends on consultations that are non-tokenistic and such consultations are to be conducted before and after the development of tourism takes place. The main hurdle for the state government remains to protect the interests of such a sensitive state while encouraging a new blood of conservationists with the passion for ensuring a special World Heritage Area.

In one of the press brief with the ABC, one of the chief executives of Tasmania’s Tourism Industry hailed the tourism operators for they had the right to lead the nation’s tourism and also said that Tasmania was on its way of becoming a world-class hub of tourists’ destination. The tourism industry in Tasmania is estimated to be worth more than $2.4 billion to the economy of Tasmania annually and employs both, directly and indirectly, more than 28000 of Tasmania’s workforce.

Also, transforming attitudes by tourists is another substantial outcome associated with the development of sustainable tourism that translates directly to revenue and this can be gained from permits and tours. As of now, many areas that are deemed protected around the globe such as Canada and the U.S are under constant pressure to incur operating costs while at the same time yield positive impact in economies both regionally and economically. With the increased expenditure on tourism, there is always a transparent way of ensuring the viability of areas termed as protected.

Thus, the role that tourism plays in a particular community is greatly enhanced when members of the community are effectively consulted and involved in major projects and in the decision-making process. Tourism also has both sides of the coin that is it can generate positive and negative effects on the surrounding community.

References

Choi, H.-S. C. & Sirakaya, E., 2008. Measuring Residents’ Attitude toward Sustainable Tourism:Development of Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale. Journal of Travel Research, 3(1), pp. 380-394.

Deloitte, 2013. Economic impact of tourism marketing expenditure in Tasmania. [Online]
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Discover Tasmania, 2014. Tasman Peninsula-more than a day trip. [Online]
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[Accessed 17 May 2018].

Kimmorley, S., 2015. 5 reasons why Tasmania is Australia’s best tourism destination. [Online]
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[Accessed 18 May 2018].

Ryan, L., 2016. Re-branding Tasmania: MONA and the altering of local reputation and identity. SAGE journals, 16(4), pp. 422-445.

Simpson, D., 2011. Community perceptions of the impacts of tourism: Tasmania case study. [Online]
Available at: https://www.google.com/url?url=https://www.cabi.org/leisuretourism/news/21909&rct=j&frm=1&q=&edata-src=s&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwi8ica85ozbAhUFlxQKHSEYCEMQFggeMAI&usg=AOvVaw1EL25SiE4ozwrF57MkcCBz
[Accessed 17 May 2018].

The Conversation, 2015. Paradise gained – how tourism could help Tasmania’s wilderness. [Online]
Available at: https://theconversation.com/paradise-gained-how-tourism-could-help-tasmanias-wilderness-36301
[Accessed 18 May 2018].

Tourism Research Australia, 2017. Tasmania Regional Tourism Satellite Account 2015-2016. [Online]
Available at: https://www.tra.gov.au/Research/View-all-publications/All-Publications/Destination-Visitor-Survey-results/Strategic-regional-research-reports/tasmania-regional-tourism-satellite-accounts
[Accessed 18 May 2018].

Tourism Tasmania, 2017. Tasmanian Tourism Snapshot for the year ending. [Online]
Available at: https://www.tourismtasmania.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/62990/CEO-Commentary-for-Tasmanian-Tourism-Snapshot-YE-December-2017.pdf
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Tourism Tasmania, 2018. Research Reports. [Online]
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Tovar, C. & Lockwood, M., 2008. Social impacts of tourism: an Australian regional case study. International Journal of Toursim Research, 10(4), pp. 365-378