The announcement that Tasmania will host the 2019 World Fly Fishing Championships illustrates our commitment to securing major tourism events to drive our economy that create jobs in regional Tasmania.
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In recent weeks and months the Hodgman Liberal Government, through Tourism Tasmania and Events Tasmania, has pro-actively pursued sports and tourism events that give Tasmanians a unique experience and also attract visitors to our island state.
The fly fishing championships will be based in Launceston with about 30 teams and hundreds of anglers spending several weeks in the state, but mostly in Northern Tasmania.
Targa Tasmania, an event that attracts nearly 3000 visitors each year and generates $8 million, has now been secured until 2021, the Hawks have been locked into Aurora Stadium until 2020 and the V8 Supercars at Symmons Plains until 2019.
I am also thrilled that the Australian Diamonds will take on the New Zealand Silver Ferns in a special netball challenge at the Silverdome in October.
While it is true that MONA continues to have a dramatic tourism impact in the south, all of these other events are predominantly based around Launceston and Northern Tasmania.
Add to this the magnificent mountain bike tracks at Derby and Hollybank, the JAC Group’s $15m redevelopment of Penny Royal World and the iconic Tamar Valley Wine Route means that there will be multiple reasons to visit and stay in Northern Tasmania.
It has been well publicised that the Tasmanian Government is aiming for 1.5 million visitors by 2020 and at 1.15m visitors at the end of 2015 we are on target for this sustained growth. Attracting and securing these world-class events is part of that equation.
- Sarah Courtney, Bass Liberal MHA