A Dean Winter Labor Government will give our tourism sector a fresh start by unlocking tens of thousands more seats on flights into Tasmania.

We will reform the aviation attraction fund, bringing in tens of thousands more tourists – and it will not cost the budget an extra cent.

Under the Liberals, the Aviation Attraction Fund has failed to add a single extra flight 15 months after it was announced.  As usual, they are all announcements and no delivery.

Labor will rescue the aviation fund so that it backs in more capacity along existing routes - making up for at least some of the thousands of lost passengers not being delivered by our new Spirits.  Tens of thousands more tourists, not one extra cent on the budget.

And after the failed Spirits of Tasmania project, there is no industry that needs a fresh start more than tourism.

A Labor Government I lead will have the Spirits home by Christmas.  Jeremy Rockliff will keep them hidden on the wrong side of the world as long as he can.

We will also work with the Federal Government to deliver the iconic projects the Liberals haven’t.  Tasmania lost its funding for Cradle Mountain’s cableway because Jeremy Rockliff’s government did not do its homework.  So we will work with industry to develop new funding plans for the Cradle Mountain Cableway; as well as the Freycinet Peninsula Masterplan and the Destination Derby Community Masterplan.

The Liberals went to the last election promising a new tourist tax. This is the last thing regional tourism needs, and we won’t introduce it.  We opposed it when it was announced, we still oppose it today.

After 11 years of the Liberals, it’s time for a Fresh Start for tourism in Tasmania.

Labor’s Tourism Policy includes:

1. Order both the Spirits home on Day 1 and mandate a dedicated tourism place on the TT-Line board to stop wasting money hiding our ships overseas and draw a line under the biggest stuff up in Tasmanian history.  We will unlock $70 million of private capital for LNG refuelling facilities for the new Spirits at Devonport, and commit to a strong program of extra day sailings until the new Spirits are in service.
2. Bring more tourists to Tasmania by allowing the aviation attraction fund to be accessed to expand existing routes, rather than being limited to new routes only.
3. Cement Launceston as a premier business events destination with a $20 million contribution to a new convention centre for the city, delivered in partnership with the private sector – this will triple business events and contribute nearly $30 million annually to the northern economy.
4. Work with the Federal Government to deliver the iconic projects the Liberals haven’t by developing new funding plans for the Cradle Mountain Cableway, the Freycinet Peninsula Masterplan and the Destination Derby Community Masterplan.
5. Oppose the Liberals’ tourist tax which will hurt regional tourism in particular.
6. Lock in interstate demand by maintaining current allocations for Tourism Tasmania, the Visitor Economy Strategy, business events, parks, events support and the West Coast Wilderness Railway.
7. Reduce the cost of doing business for tourism operators by working with the Federal Government to fix regional visa issues, develop national solutions for insurance costs and deliver key worker housing for the tourism sector.
8. Premier to retain Tourism portfolio to continue the legacy of Jim Bacon, with existing t21 and Premier's Visitor Economy Advisory Council structures to remain in place, and a tourism and transport Cabinet subcommittee to be established to ensure problems are identified and resolved quickly across all relevant tourism ministries.