Doors open ready for an interstate influx
TASMANIA is expected to be a popular post-COVID destination according to the state’s tourism agency, with operators eager to greet interstate visitors when the borders are due to open later this month.
It comes as Hobart welcomed the opening of its latest accommodation offering — the long-awaited Crowne Plaza Hotel.
At the hotel’s opening on
Wednesday, Tourism Tasmania chief executive John Fitzgerald said with an increase in intrastate tourism, they looked forward to welcoming domestic visitors.
“All the signs are that demand will be quite positive for Tasmania,” he said.
“We’re working with airlines already on where the flights are going to be coming from on the schedule for August.”
Mr Fitzgerald said direct flights from Hobart to Sydney
were highly feasible. “We’re hoping of course that Melbourne can be in, but if we have to divert and do something different, we can certainly talk to airlines about that,” he said.
Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive Steve Old said it had been a long journey for the Kalis Group getting Crowne Plaza up and running.
“It’s perfect timing that as we ease restrictions we can get a venue like this open, and hopefully Tasmanians can enjoy it to start with,” he said. “It’d be great to get the borders open, but our primary objective at the moment is just to get Tasmanians out and about in our hospitality venues.
“We’re really excited about what the future holds for our industry.”
Kalis Group chief executive Alexia Kalis said although the completion of the Icon Complex was an amazing feat, Crowne Plaza Hotel was always going to be the pinnacle of the development.
“The views are stunning, the outdoor deck is just divine, and us Tasmanians who don’t mind the cold will love it out there,” she said.
Hotel general manager Linda Collis said she was elated to see the doors open.
Premier Peter Gutwein said he was proud to see Tasmanians come together to build something that would create an impact on Tasmanians and visitors to the state.