Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association, 29 November 2021
IT’S TIME TO END THE ERA OF SECRET, SPECIAL DEALS
The Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association was disappointed to read in the ABC’s recent article public money used for private company’s Three Capes Walk marketing that a secret agreement between the Tasmanian Walking Company and the state government allowed it to charge the government (and therefore the public) for its private marketing costs.
The Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association firmly believes that one of the greatest strengths of the Tasmanian outdoor tourism industry is the diversity of operators large and small that provide experiences catering to a wide range of people and providing employment for guides.
We believe the funding arrangement between The Tasmanian Walking Company and the Tasmanian state government as described by the ABC gives an unfair financial advantage to one of the state’s largest operators, and highlights systemic issues of transparency and equity regarding the treatment of tourism operators working within Tasmania’s world-renowned national parks.
Said Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association President, Kenna Reid Clark, “To have a tourism industry that supports diversity within private operators it is imperative that the Tasmanian state government is not favouring certain companies with beneficial funding and negotiating leases and licences under the cloak of secrecy and commercial in confidence. This sort of special treatment is clearly an unfair commercial advantage.”
The Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association has called and will continue to call for all lease and licence agreements to be made public for businesses operating within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and national parks. Minister for Parks Jacquie Petrusma committed to publishing these agreements in a press release on 9 September 2021, but so far we are yet to see a timeline for when this will occur.
Said Kenna Reid Clark, “With many tourism operators and guides around Tasmania providing incredible nature-based experiences and putting a huge effort into creating a sustainable industry, the state government must act immediately and make all lease and licence agreements public for businesses operating within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and national parks before further reputational damage is done.”
ABC: Public money used for private company’s Three Capes Walk marketing, ABC reveals.
by Piia Wirsu
A commercial walking company in Tasmania has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the state government for marketing costs associated with an exclusive private walk, the Three Capes Track, which it operates in southern Tasmania.
Information obtained by the ABC through a right to information request shows the Tasmanian Walking Company has invoiced the government for just over $300,000 for marketing costs since 2019.
It was paid $126,000 for marketing activities carried out last year, when the tourist industry saw a significant downturn due to border closures.
The Tasmanian Walking Company is the only commercial business licensed to operate guided tours through the Three Capes Track.
Read the full story here.
