Tasmania's peak tourism organisation is renewing the push for Launceston to get a new and dedicated regional conference centre to accomodate larger events.
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The state's conference market is worth $150 million, with Business Events Tasmania bidding on up to 240 events each year. Of these, at least 40 require a larger venue than Launceston can provide.
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said the city only attracts around 15 per cent of that market, and needed a proper, regional conference centre, catering to higher numbers of people, in order to capture a greater share of the pie.
He said while Errol Stewart's kanamaluka Cultural Centre, which had capacity for 1000 people, had not secured state and federal funding, a new conference centre should remain on the priority list.
"The city and the region needs to continue to push for this and get it on the agenda...let's see it as a strategic project over the next few years for Launceston, for the region to go to another level as a destination, and to broaden its mix of markets," Mr Martin said.
"At the moment it is missing out."
Mr Martin said the larger business event market was growing, and Northern Tasmania was well-placed as an attractive destination.
He said such events would bring the city the same economic returns as an AFL match.
"The expectations of those markets is for quality, professional and modern facilities with trade rooms and all the audio visual capabilities. To attract those large delegate conferences, which fill up the city, you need large-scale, contemporary infrastructure, which the city just doesn't have."
Launceston Chamber of Commerce president Andrew Pitt said the return on investment from a conference centre would be quite high.
"The benefits are on multiple levels. You would have a new, iconic building for the city...the delegates would spend money while staying here, on eating, drinking and entertainment, and perhaps might stay on to explore the regions afterwards," Mr Pitt said.
"Launceston's star is rising. We are the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and that is starting to make people think about coming here instead of Hobart."
Mr Pitt said a cost-benefit analysis was required to move any project forward.
"Regional unity on these things is always really important. It is probably time for a public consultation around where it should be, its capacity," he said.
"We also have to think about how it would fit with the existing conference facilities and arts and culture venues. There is another lens to this, where you could look at whether the city, as a whole, can host conferences across a number of different venues, which may give you the larger capcity."
Business Events Tasmania chief executive Marnie Craig said investment in either existing or new infrastructure is needed in Launceston if it wanted to take advantage of larger events.
She said interestate event organisers were keen to bring events to Tasmania, and BET was working to grow this market as the sector emerged from the pandemic.
"With a stellar reputation as a food bowl, with strong links to agriculture, and close proximity to renewables, viticulture and forestry, Launceston is well placed to host regional business events," Ms Craig said.
"This close connection to real time case studies is viewed by many event organisers nationally as a significant draw card to holding an event."
Ms Craig said any feasibility study would need to understand market needs and demands, as well as the capabilties of Launceston to support a conference centre through skilled labour, off-site function capabilities, accommodation and experiences.
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