TASMANIA’S growing reputation as a mountain-biking destination has attracted 39.2 per cent more participants than last financial year.
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More than 3000 additional visitors took to mountain biking in Tasmania in 2014-15, bringing the total participation rate to 26,794.
The benefits of new trails – including the new North-East Rail Trail, which opened on Sunday – are generating positive growth in soft adventure tourism for the North in particular, according to Tourism Northern Tasmania chief executive James McKee.
‘‘It’s been a primary trigger for cycle tourism in the last 12 months, and will probably continue to be as we start to see other elements of cycle tourism emerging,’’ Mr McKee said.
‘‘If you’re like me and watch social media with mountain-bike sites, a common phrase is ‘let’s go to Tasmania’, there’s no reason why repeat visits won’t happen.’’
Scuba diving has seen a participation increase of 66.3 per cent, up to 3941 visitors, and yachting numbers have grown to 13,237 – a 55 per cent increase from the previous year.
‘‘That soft adventure that we have, cycling is a cornerstone of that,’’ Mr McKee said.
‘‘Cycling, paintball, right through to whitewater paddling and kayaking, they’re all in that space – Northern Tasmania in particular has the opportunity to really develop a reputation,
‘‘It’s a great opportunity for us to become known.’’