Guides, it’s time to step up

AN outdoor adventure company is seeking to hire more tour guides, saying its expansion is a sign of tourism industry growth as more Tasmanians explore their own backyard.

National tour guide company Life’s An Adventure has advertised for new casual or full- time tour guides to join its books, based in the state’s north or south.

Company founder Mark Norek said the company had taken “a bit of a hit” during the pandemic which saw national parks access cut off in March.

“We’re back operating 10- 20 per cent down on where we were this time last year,” he said.

“Pre- COVID we had all bookings full and ready to go and now we’ve had to fit eight months of cancelled tours into a small season. It’s the rescheduled trips on top of others that is making us appear busy.”

Mr Norek said the company was excited to add new employees to its 14 existing Tasmanian tour guides.

“We’re after guides with a real passion for Tasmania, experience and great people skills. The rest will come naturally,” he said.

Hobart Walking Club president Jill Finch said the group had experienced a rise in membership through COVID- 19 with “a lot more people wanting to get out and explore the wilderness”.

“It’s good to see the guides up and running again and I think Tasmanians are starting to realise that what our wilderness offers is on par with, if not better than, other states,” she said.

“People who would perhaps travel overseas are now taking holidays in Tasmania. Guided tourism is a growing industry in Tassie and places like the Three Capes track is really putting us on the map.”

It comes as the Three Capes track on the Tasman Peninsula celebrated its fifth birthday on December 23.

It estimates 7000 walkers will experience the four- day 48km trek in its sixth year as visitor numbers are capped for COVID- safe measures.

At its peak 12,000 walkers visited the attraction in 2018.

Parks and Environment Minister Roger Jaensch said more than 50,000 walkers have taken on the track since it opened in 2015.