The hugely successful Ben’s Menu will continue to showcase Tasmania and our premium produce to a growing national audience in a second series airing this year.

The Liberal Government is proud to continue support of Ben’s Menu, and is pleased to announce Qantas as the airline partner.

Through Tourism Tasmania we will contribute $50,000 in cash and in kind support towards the production of series two. As airline sponsor, Qantas will invest significant marketing spend across broadcast and digital channels promoting tourism to the region as part of its $4.5 million tourism cooperative agreement with the state.

This has secured Tasmania as the filming backdrop to the Logie nominated program, which draws a national audience of about 500,000 each day and has maintained the number one rating in its timeslot.

During Tasmania’s spectacular autumn and winter months 90 episodes will be filmed, and later aired on weekdays on Channel 10 from September to January.

This creates incredible exposure for our island home, our primary producers and the artisans who make it their mission to give visitors the paddock to the plate, or the ocean to the table as it may be, experience.

There’s no doubt produce like our seafood and wines will get mouths watering, but more so, Ben’s travels around the state will give Australians a taste of the unique experiences Tasmania has to offer.

This is an opportunity to tap into the growing gourmet tourism market, which according to Tourism Australia research is a billion-dollar opportunity.

Tasmania has an impressive market share already, with more than 280,000 interstate and international tourists visiting a food producer in the 12 months to September 2014. That’s almost a seven per cent increase on the same time in the previous year.

There’s huge potential for more growth too, with the latest Tourism Tasmania survey finding more than 60 per cent of Australians planning to holiday in the next couple of years listing speciality food and wine producers on their must-see list.

The airing of series two coincides with Tourism Tasmania’s spring campaign and will form part of a broader marketing partnership between Qantas and Tourism Tasmania.

Our Government has a target of attracting 1.5 million visitors to Tasmania each year by 2020. National exposure of the type created by Ben’s Menu will help us to achieve this.
Will Hodgman, Premier Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events