Tourism and hospitality employs one in eight Tasmanians

Newly released data from Tourism Research Australia has revealed how important the tourism and hospitality sector is to the Tasmanian economy with one in eight people in the state employed in the industry.

The TRA data showed that there were 42,900 tourism-related jobs in Tasmania in the 2022/23 financial year, an increase of 21% from the previous year, a number welcome by Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Jeremy Rockliff.

Acknowledging that the proportion of Tasmanians employed in tourism is more than any other state or territory, Premier Rockliff stated “one of Tasmania’s competitive strengths is in agritourism, but we know some operators can come up against significant red tape making it more challenging.

“Work is underway to reduce red tape in agritourism by simplifying planning rules and streamlining approval pathways for operators.

“Visitors come to Tasmania to enjoy unique and authentic experiences where they can meet a producer, learn about the history behind a product and get a taste for farm life, and that’s exactly what these reforms will deliver.”

Noting that the island state has some of the most dependent regions on tourism in the country, Tourism Industry of Tasmania Chief Executive, Amy Hills added “our operators are part of their communities and treasure what is special about our island and we want to support them to continue employing Tasmanians and generating economic activity for the regions.

“That’s why working on reducing red tape in areas like agritourism in so important, so we are able to leverage our competitive strengths and provide authentic Tasmanian experiences, that visitors will want to keep coming back for.”

Tasmania’s visitor economy injected $3.63 billion into the state in 2023.

Image: Hobart from Mount Wellington.