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January 2015

 

 
More sailings planned for Tassie ferries

More sailings planned for Tassie ferries

Caravanning industry welcomes news

That's the spirit ...
more sailings planned

Have your say

AUSTRALIA'S caravanning and camping industry has welcomed news of extra sailings and cheaper ferry fares to Tasmania.

And as an extra bonus for travellers heading to the Apple Isle, Spirit of Tasmania ferries will also be refurbished.

Ferry operator TT-Line plans to add an additional 42 day sailings a year and cut fares by an average 14.8 percent over the next four years.

Caravan Industry Association of Australia chief executive Stuart Lamont said the announcement went a long way to addressing some of the barriers to holidaying in one of Australia's great caravanning and camping destinations.

But, he claimed, research had shown that concerns around ferry pricing and availability had been a major inhibitor to travel for caravanners and campers.

“The commitment to reducing passenger fares, enhancing the onboard passenger experience and increasing sailings, particularly into the shoulder seasons, will greatly assist the government in increasing visitor numbers to Tasmania to 1.5 million people a year by 2020," Mr Lamont said.

"The significantly increased capacity for vehicles should also provide greater flexibility in timing for caravanning and camping travellers and lead to more competitive pricing to make a Tasmanian self-drive experience even more attractive."

Caravan park visitors to the Apple Isle increased 17.5 percent in 2013-14, with around 1.48 million caravanning and camping nights spent on the island.

Mr Lamont predicated that this figure would "explode" under the new announcements.

Caravanning Tasmania chairman Anthony Edwards agreed.

"Any effort to increase the length of season and placing Tasmania back on the caravanning and camping map is applauded," he said.

"The caravanning and camping sector provides great benefit to the regional townships and economies of Tasmania, and the ability for more tourists in our sector to experience what it has to offer is a real positive shot in the arm."

Spirit of Tasmania chairman Mike Grainger believed the extra sailings and cheaper fares would help create "new interest and excitement" in visiting Tasmania.

Onboard experiences for passengers would be enhanced and comfort significantly improved when the refurbishments were completed.

"Spirit of Tasmania is obviously very pleased that our business case has been approved by the Tasmanian Government," he said.

Caravan Industry Association of Australia and Caravanning Tasmania have committed to working with the government, Tourism Tasmania and the ferry company in filling the new capacity and will hold talks on how to best capitalise on the announcement.

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