Tasmania's natural environment continues to be a major tourism drawcard

Tasmania’s natural environment - with its more than 800 reserves including 19 National Parks - continues to be a major drawcard for tourists and locals alike, with an 18% increase in visitation to some of the State’s most popular destinations.

Freycinet, Cradle Mountain, Mount Field and Tasman Arch remain popular destinations, with a combined 733,000 people visiting these four popular locations during 2022.

Tourism Tasmania’s Tasmanian Visitor Survey showed interstate and international visitors to the Gordon River increased by 45%, in addition to the many Tasmanians who also explored the wonders of this remarkable world heritage waterway.

Walkers have returned to the world-class Three Capes (14,000) and Overland tracks (11,000) in numbers exceeding pre-COVID levels.

Tasmania Minister for Parks, Roger Jaensch, said National Parks and reserves were key drivers for the dispersal of visitors around the State, supporting economies and jobs in many regional towns and communities and added “these unique destinations draw people from around Tasmania, Australia and the world."

A targeted visitor monitoring program has been undertaken at 14 selected locations to assist in management of these areas. Visitation increased by almost 200,000 people across the 14 sites in the 2022 calendar year, compared to the previous year.

Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Tourism, Jeremy Rockliff, said the figures came off the back of record spending by visitors to Tasmania of $3.49 billion in the 12 months to December 2022 and hotel occupancy data for January showing that 83.16% of Tasmanian rooms were booked.

“Tourism is vital to Tasmania’s way of life, supports the livelihood of many Tasmanians and provides a vital economic contribution across the state including in our regional communities. That’s why it’s vital that our future is managed strategically without compromising our brand proposition or negatively impacting our protected areas and natural environment.”

Minister Jaensch continued “our Government has and will continue to invest in our Parks and Wildlife Service to support sustainable and sensitive tourism in our National Parks and reserves, ensuring our natural and cultural values are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, while being conserved and protected for future generations.

“Recently completed works include the new Dove Lake viewing shelter as part of the Rockliff Liberal Government’s $26.8 million investment in the Cradle Mountain Master Plan, along with improved visitor facilities at Tasman Arch, new huts on the Overland Track and campsite improvements in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

“Importantly, visitation data is used to plan, manage and support the visitor experience as Tasmania continues to be a highly sought-after destination for nature-based tourism.” 

The latest parks visitation and tourism data are available on the PWS website.

Image: Wineglass Bay in the picturesque Freycinet National Park. Credit: Natalie Mendham