Wrong tax, wrong time – Labor calls on Abetz to scrap short stay tax

Tasmanian Labor is backing our tourism industry and calling on Treasurer Eric Abetz to scrap the proposed Short Stay Levy, warning that with fuel costs still high and travel budgets under pressure, now is the worst possible time to make Tasmania more expensive to visit.

Tourism is one of the major pillars of our economy, employing one in six Tasmanians. It creates regional jobs, supports small business, and plays a significant role in what makes Tasmania a great place to live and visit.

The Liberals’ tourism tax will hit the sector hard in a time of great uncertainty, particularly in regional communities that rely heavily on visitor spending.

Right now, Tasmania needs more reasons for people to visit, stay longer and spend more, not a new tax or more red tape that pushes them to book interstate instead.

The Liberals’ new tourist tax will not make a scrap of difference to Tasmania's housing crisis, but it will hurt our visitor economy particularly our small operators in regional areas. 

Treasurer Eric Abetz must scrap this tax and back the tourism operators and regional communities that drive our visitor economy.

Quotes attributable to Lauren Heys, CEO of Moxxi Property, which manages more than 180 short-term rental properties across Tasmania:

“The government's idea that guests will simply absorb this tax is unrealistic,” Ms Heys said.

“In a competitive market, the property owners are the ones who end up earning less because there is a limit to what visitors will pay.”

“That means less income staying with Tasmanian owners and less value flowing through the local economy.”