23 September 2008

Hobart celebrating good results from national tourism report

The capital of Tasmania is celebrating a recent report released by the National Tourism and Transport Forum that ranked its region the 11th best for tourism in the country over internationally acclaimed areas such the Whitsundays and the Hunter Valley, reports the Mercury.

Hobart was ranked 11th in the country in terms of export dollars, as in the March quarter last financial year international visitors on Australian visas spent an average of $130 per night and spent more than 1.76 million nights in the region.  Overall, $228.9 million was contributed to the Tasmanian economy from tourists during this period.

UK nationals are reported to have spent longer on their holidays during this period and spent an average of $959 per person, while the number of Canadians visiting the region more than doubled. 

The Tasmanian Government are welcoming the result, saying it is testament to the high standard of tourism in the state and its status as a prioritised destination for international visitors.

"Once again Tasmania is punching above its weight when it comes to our tourism performance internationally," said Treasurer and Acting Tourism Minister Michael Aird. 

"Air travel now is just so fantastically cheap," Mr Aird said. "The greater the availability, the more people spontaneously book a flight."

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane held the top three positions for attracting the most spend from international visitors.

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The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people apply for an Australia visa.

Article by Jessica Bird, Australian Visa Bureau.