tasmanian tourism conference

'Changes ahead': Tourism sector has high hopes but employment and sustainability remain key issues

Addressing workforce employment issues and environmental sustainability were top of the list at Tasmania's largest tourism conference on Tuesday.

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Tasmanian Tourism Conference 2022 saw 600 tourism operators from across the state come together to explore the future of tourism after COVID.

Tasmanian Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said most tourism operators had big expectations for a successful Summer period, but the sector now had an opportunity to evolve.

"We realise we've got some really big decisions and changes ahead of us," Mr Martin said.

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"We need to progress over the next 12 to 18 months around workforce issues like cruise ships, and make sure tourism is fundamentally a force for good."

He said TICT's vision was to restore tourism levels to pre-COVID levels, however certain issues still needed to be addressed.

"In practical terms it's about addressing employment and disadvantage issues - we've got to develop specific training training programs to get young people into our workforce," he said.

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"At an environment level, we're particularly trying to make sure that every operator, every level of industry, is thinking about their footprint of carbon and waste".

He said he believed Tasmania could become the world's only sustainable, carbon neutral tourism destination in the world, but acknowledged it would require businesses to find affordable ways to go green.

But Mr Martin said operators still struggling from a lack of business during COVID would need to adjust their business models while they waited for international markets to reopen.

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Among the event's highlights were Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, and keynote speaker Emily Briffa.

Mr Alcott highlighted the disabled community as an overlooked sector of the tourism market, and said Tasmanian had the potential to position itself as a leader in disability friendly tourism initiatives.

Ms Briffa, whose social-enterprise Hamlet provides jobs and training in the hospitality and tourism sector for disadvantaged workers, said there were opportunities now for the tourism sector to create inclusive employment models.

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"We really want to continue to build relationships with employers in the industry to find pipeline to employment for people involved in our program," Ms Briffa said.

"Part of that will be creating a space that is completely accessible".

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Clancy Balen

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Sustainable Trails Conference 2022 North East Tasmania, Australia 

CALL FOR PAPERS NOW OPEN!

  register your interest now. australia and new zealand’s leading trails conference..

Register your interest today to be the first to receive information about the program, presenters and early bird specials. This will also enter you into the draw for a free conference registration.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS CONFERENCE 2022

Registrations open until October 14th, 2022. Places are limited, get in early! 

We invite you to join us in November 2022 for Australia and New Zealand’s leading sustainable recreational trails event. Meeting on lutruwita country (North East Tasmania), Australia’s smallest but most geographically diverse state. Home to world-famous walks like the Overland Track, Wineglass Bay, the South Coast Track and the Three Capes Track and world-class mountain biking parks like Blue Derby and Maydena. The three-day conference brings together a broad discipline of trail interests — trail users, designers, planners, land managers, volunteers, clubs and construction experts to share, connect and learn what is driving the trails industry.

Join us and hear from leading professionals on sustainable trail development, management and marketing. Discover stunning landscapes and unique animals and plants as we explore the epic trails that traverse through Tasmania’s natural wonders.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lutruwita (Tasmania) Aboriginal land, sea and waterways. We acknowledge, with deep respect the traditional owners of this land, the palawa people. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land. The palawa people belong to the oldest continuing culture in the world. They cared and protected Country for thousands of years. They knew this land, they lived on the land and they died on these lands. We honour them.

With thanks to our sponsors 

Image credit for media used for marketing and promotion of the Sustainable Trails Conference 2022: Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service; Tourism Tasmania; Don Fuchs; James Bowden; Tayla Gentle; Stu Gibson; Jason Charles Hill; Emilie Ristevski; Jess Bonde; Places We Go; Revolution MTB; Flow Mountain Bike; Tim Bardsley-Smith; J. Da Seymour Photomedia; Geoffrey Lea; Jess Bonde; O&M St John Photography; Kane Naaraat and Pinkbike.com; Liam Neal.

Check out our previous conferences

Marlborough, New Zealand 2019

Thredbo, NSW Australia 2017

Alice Springs, NT Australia 2021

What did past attendees think.

The Sustainable Trails Conference provided an excellent opportunity to share best practice across a variety of topics from trail building to governance. Each session was valuable in its own right. Great to see the collaboration between our two countries as we all strive to make the most of this growing community.

The sustainable trails conference is a must do for all those involved in the planning, development and marketing of tracks and trails.

A well run and organised conference, excellent speakers who certainly provided a range of information in the topics presented. Took away some key learnings.

I have been to a lot of conferences before, this was one of the best I have ever attended.

A fantastic conference. Great speaker line-up with leaders in the field. Learned a lot and made new connections.

The Sustainable Trails Conference provides a unique opportunity to appreciate the importance of trails to local economies and tourism, the amount of work going on in this space, and to share and learn from others working in the field.

LAUNCESTON 2020 Tasmanian Tourism Conference

Event description.

Come to the day in your region, or the program most relevant to you, your business and interests - or be a die-hard, and come to both days!

In Launnie, we'll be deep-diving into exploring Tasmania's agri-tourism potential; and the practical things every business should be doing right now.

In Hobart, we're looking ahead to some of the opportunities and challenges we face as we respond to COVID and position Tasmanian tourism for the future.

Across both days we'll have updates from Tourism Tasmania and other key stakeholders in the Tasmanian Government - so whichever day you come, you can expect to leave informed and across the key responses and priorities for industry and government.

We're also going to be talking openly about mental wellbeing, learn a little more about Tasmania's extraordinary Aboriginal culture, and hear the amazing stories of a couple of 'newer' Tasmanians - Australian sporting icon, Shane Gould, in Launceston; and our very own adopted rock star, Brian Ritchie, in Hobart.

This is a 100% Tasmanian program - so we're boldly taking some of our speakers out of their natural habitats:, with some well-known Southerners addressing our Launceston event; and some of Northern Tassie's finest speaking in Hobart.

What you can always expect from a Tasmanian Tourism Conference is there will be plenty of time for (*socially-distanced) networking, with two stellar conference lunches planned:

In Launceston we'll be joining the Tasmanian wine industry in showcasing, celebrating and tasting our amazing local wines, in our 2020 'BLEND' .

While in Hobart, the Premier will be joining us for lunch and a Q&A session. 

When we finish for the day, we'll be joining together to toast resilience, optimism, strength - and all that is great about our Tasmanian tourism industry, with spring evening networking events at two of Tasmania's leading wineries, Josef Chromy in Launceston; and Frogmore at Cambridge.

Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix donates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity

Refund policy

No refund policy specified.

Oceana b&b

• Aug 29, 2023

Reflecting on Positive Impact 2: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Tourism in Tasmania

Updated: Jan 11

IMAGE CREDIT: Alastair Bett Photography

Mid-August, Launceston, Tasmania played host to the exciting 2023 Positive Impact Tourism Conference, and what a remarkable two days it was! As part of the Tasmanian community, we at Oceana B&B were honoured to witness and contribute to the discussions, learnings, and celebrations of our industry's journey toward sustainable and outstanding tourism.

The Triumph Continues

A sequel to last year's success, Positive Impact 2 continued to set the benchmark for what tourism conferences should be. Building on last year's event, this sequel brought together 400 tourism and hospitality representatives from all over Tasmania and beyond, creating an atmosphere rich in ideas, enthusiasm, and shared purpose.

Highlights and Insights

Here's a brief glimpse of what made Positive Impact 2 so special:

A Comprehensive Agenda : From business workshops and masterclasses to inspirational speakers and engaging breakouts, the event's content was designed to resonate with both tourism veterans and newcomers.

TAMAR RAVE : The premier industry networking extravaganza that facilitated connections, friendships, and innovative collaborations.

New Vision for the Future : The launch of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy, a bold and ambitious roadmap developed in partnership between the Tasmanian government and TICT, outlines a vision for a visitor economy that positively impacts the environment and our way of life.

As supporters of sustainable tourism, we found the conference to be a source of inspiration and affirmation. Whether it was the update on the Tassie Tourism Ambassador Program or the special session on creating accessible experiences, there was something for every stakeholder in the industry.

We were also impressed by the continued emphasis on collaboration and community, highlighted by sessions on getting the balance right between tourism and local communities, and the futuristic insights from Australia's leading Futurist, Steve Sammartino.

A Heartfelt Thanks

The event culminated with a sense of optimism, determination, and excitement for the future of tourism in our extraordinary destination, Tasmania.

As we reflect on this remarkable event, we wish to share the heartfelt thanks and vision of Amy Hills, CEO of Tourism Industry Council Tasmania:

“Who can believe the Tasmanian Tourism Conference was a week ago?! Time really does fly by. On behalf of the TICT team, I’d like to thank everyone who attended and supported the Positive Impact 2 Conference. To have 400 tourism and hospitality representatives from all over our wonderful state descend on Launceston in the heart of winter, speaks volumes. The two-day event saw us further push the thinking on what truly sustainable and outstanding tourism means for our visitors, businesses, and those who call Tasmania home.

The Conference also coincided with the launch of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy – something which has been developed in partnership between the Tasmanian government and the TICT, on behalf of the tourism industry. It is bold and ambitious and sets out a shared vision that by 2030, we want our visitor economy to be valued by Tasmanians for its positive impact on the environment and our way of life.

The Conference takes an army of people working together to make it the best possible experience, and we have been blown away by all the positive feedback. We can’t wait for the 2024 Conference, and the TICT team looks forward to continuing to ensure the event remains relevant and beneficial for you for many more years to come!”

Oceana B&B: Embracing the Positive Impact

At Oceana B&B we continue on our journey towards a more sustainable and meaningful tourism industry. See you in 2024!

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