Shock over aged care safety checks

Travel vouchers roll out soon

TASMANIANS can use their travel vouchers from next month and short-stay accommodation providers will be included as part of the state’s new tourism initiative.

To encourage intrastate tourism, the government is offering Tasmanians a travel voucher — up to $100 to use for accommodation or up to $50 to use on a tourism experience.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin supports the initiative, but said Tasmanians need more information, with the scheme set to start from September 7.

“There needs to be detail released soon, as we understand people are delaying making travel plans until they see how the vouchers work,” he said.

On Friday, Premier Peter Gutwein confirmed that shortstay accommodation platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz would be considered commercial accommodation for the purposes of the scheme.

“They pay tax, therefore they would be eligible for the use of a voucher. Likewise would a caravan park, for example,” he said.

“Different people will have a range of different tastes. What we do want to see are people moving around the state midweek and filling beds in parts of the state that at the moment, aren’t being filled.”

However, Mr Martin wants professional tourism operators prioritised.

Wrest Point general manager Andrew Fox said the scheme’s success would hinge on how many Tasmanians could actually take time out to travel midweek.

“It’s definitely hard for people if they’re working or if they have kids in school,” he said.

“We hope that Wrest Point and Country Club will see some benefit from the vouchers. They are the only two of Federal Group’s five accommodation venues that are currently open midweek.

“We’ve had great support for MACq01 and Saffire on weekends, but we believe they’re similar to a lot of tourism businesses that are operating on reduced hours, because there simply isn’t enough demand to open and staff venues all week.”