HOTELIERS have reported high occupancy rates over the V8 Supercars weekend, which is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
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Tourism Northern Tasmania chief executive Chris Griffin said yesterday that hoteliers had reported 90-plus and up to 100 per cent occupancy rates, as well as in other locations like Longford and Deloraine.
This will flow into the Easter long weekend, the school holiday period and then events coming up in April and May, Mr Griffin said.
Tourist drawcard events coming up include Targa Tasmania from April 27 to May 2 and then Agfest from May 7 to 9.
Motorsports Tasmania general manager Dick Caplice said he believes the fine weather on Saturday and Sunday certainly encouraged the increased crowd turnout on last year.
"From our perspective, the weekend went very, very well - it went off faultlessly," Mr Caplice said.
He said the V8 crews made the clean-up around their areas easy and the general admission areas would be completed in the next week or so.
He said with motorcycle and car events planned for April, the track would be ready.
In the later half of the year, a number of works on the track are expected to get under way to improve safety including - removing some of the tyre walls and replacing with cement walls, the development of an all-weather hard stand for race event use, but also for learner, advanced and defensive driver training programs, new safety fencing in front of the main spectator area will go in, as well as a new medical centre in the pit area.
Premier Will Hodgman stated more than 55,000 spectators head to the North of the state for the V8 Supercars each year, injecting almost $5 million into the local economy.
"The event is a major drawcard for around 3500 interstate visitors per year, with each staying an average of three nights, which has an enormous flow-on effect for other tourism destinations statewide," Mr Hodgman said.