A round of the Asia-Pacific Continental series will attract many riders from throughout Australia and New Zealand on Sunday.

It’s considered a lead-up or qualifying event for the Enduro World Series to be held at Derby for a second time in March next year after its debut in 2017.

A forum is being hosted by North East Tasmania Tourism and the Destination Action Plan group at the Nugget Sellers Pavilion at Scottsdale Recreation Ground from 6pm on Thursday.

NETT chairman Ian Whenn said coping with the influx of competitors and their entourage for the events will be a challenge.

“A further challenge will be to ensure that the visitors get a great experience, so that when they return to their home bases they tell their friends about the great time they had in Tasmania’s North-East.

“Because they are often separately catered for, one-off events like this sometimes don’t have the expected immediate benefit for local businesses.

“But it’s that long-term flow-on from positive memories and testimonials that is the real plus.

“The Tasmanian leg of the 2017 world series was voted by riders as the best with the friendly and helpful locals of the North-East getting the thumbs up.”

Whenn said businesses should be aware that visitors attracted by the enduro were likely to have sophisticated tastes and expectations, so good experiences like welcoming hosts and quality food, drink and activities away from the bike trails would count for a lot.

“To have won the accolade of the world series for a second time is proof the bike trails are on a global scale, we need to show our overall tourism experience is as well,” he said.

The inaugural visit of the Asia-Pacific enduro series has been swamped by Tasmanian entries.

At least 79 home-state entries have been received for Sunday’s event. 

Some 23 entries have been received for the elite men’s race including Dylan Calow, of Perth, Kaine Cannan, of Hobart, and Launceston’s former junior track world champion James Robinson.

Launceston’s multiple national champion Rowena Fry headlines the Tasmanian contingent in a relatively small elite women’s field.

Hadspen’s Tom Stylianou, Longford’s Innes Ferrier and Oliver King and Izzy Flint, of Launceston, are among the strong quota of junior riders.

The continental series runs across three races in Australia and culminates with the crowning of the Asia-Pacific Enduro Champions in Christchurch, New Zealand, on February 16, 2019.