For years there have been comments that Tasmania is being “put on the map”.
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It’s fair to say we are there.
There shouldn’t be anymore talk about this – we’re on the map in bold.
This week The New York Times included Tasmania in its Top 52 Travel Destinations of 2018 list.
This time Tassie was acknowledged for its food scene.
The only other entry for Australia was the top end, with the northernmost point to Northern Territory highlighted for cultural reasons.
Whether it be for our food and drink, our adventure tourism and gorgeous walks, or for the iconic places such as Port Arthur, the Gorge and Cradle Mountain, Tassie is a popular destination.
The conversation now needs to turn to just how far we want to go when it comes to tourism. What’s the ideal balance?
The car park built on Bruny Island was a massive mistake in an effort to cater to the tourists.
It’s a crazy concept to add parking due to the demand for people to experience the scenery – only to have their view impacted greatly.
Cradle Mountain is just trying to catch up to demand. For too long it has been neglected, despite being a jewel in our state’s tourism crown.
The current masterplan for the area will not only provide the basics, but improve the experience for tourists.
And now we have cruise ships appearing for about an hour in iconic Coles Bay. The ship is impacting the beauty of the area for the tourists who are there in that moment.
Cruise ships inject $60 million into our economy currently. The number of visits are expected to grow by a third in coming years.
The impact on the scenery by the cruise ship is just an hour here and there – for now anyway.
So how far do we want to go? Not just at Coles Bay, but Tassie in general.
We want to keep the welcome mat out. But should tourists be forced to take off their proverbial shoes before entering?
It’s important that Tasmanians are also part of the equation. It’s our backyard that people are exploring and we enjoy the sites and natural wonder as much as anyone.
A happy medium can be found. We’ve been finding it – that’s why we’re on the map.