Latest figures show “new” Spirits are delivering for Tasmania

As a result of a strong new policy setting by the Hodgman Liberal Government, the “new” Spirits of Tasmania are starting to play a major role in helping to achieve the Government’s vision of attracting 1.5 million visitors a year to the State by 2020.

Today, I am pleased to announce the latest figures show a remarkable 16 per cent increase in passengers in just two years, and a massive boost in forward bookings.

Average fares, meanwhile, are already steadily reducing and are at an average of eight per cent lower in real terms.

The figures come as TT-Line’s new business model has seen the extensive refurbishment of both Spirits to deliver a new day-time travelling experience, coupled with extra day sailings.

In 2014-15, this Government’s first full year in office, 384,501 people travelled on the Spirits – 54,000 passengers more than a low of 330,000 passengers under the previous Labor-Green government just two years earlier.

As of last week, there were 130,000 forward bookings held, compared to just 104,000 at the same time two years ago – or 26,000 more intending passengers than at the same time in 2013.

Even more encouraging is that a majority of the increase in forward bookings is for day sailings, which are up 126 per cent on last year.

According to TT-Line chief executive Bernard Dwyer, who is much respected in the State’s tourism industry, visitors travelling on the Spirits spend an average of $2700 each in Tasmania.

That means for every 10,000 extra customers from interstate, we are seeing an additional $27 million spent in our economy, helping to create and sustain jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries around the State.

On the back of these figures, I urge the Leader of the Opposition, who has been negative at every turn in response to the Government’s plan for the Spirits, to get on board and stop sledging this great Tasmanian company.

Mr Green opposed the very idea of refurbishing the Spirits – still fixated on the previous government’s flirtation with an irresponsible plan to shift TT-Line’s focus onto freight in opposition to the private sector.

Today, he refuses to acknowledge that the project created employment for 200 Tasmanians, with more than two-thirds of the sub-contracts going to local Tasmanian businesses.

This Government is doing exactly what we said we would do, and what we are delivering is more jobs for Tasmanians, which is our number one priority.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Infrastructure