29/09/2026
Hawley Press Edition 5 - The NW Demand ‘Problem’
Are the richest visitors to Tasmania driving past your gate? Demand isn’t the issue on the North West Tasmania coast; it’s watching them pass you by.
The north west hosts 41% of everyone who visits Tasmania and holds 15% of the nights they stay. The demand is arriving. Maybe it’s just not stopping?
Two things happen when tourists drive past your café, accommodation, attraction or farm on their way to the business they just decided (via their phone) to visit for the first time.
First, their initial sale - lunch, a case of w**e, a 2-night stay - whatever they’ve decided to spend elsewhere, is off the table.
The second is that the lifetime value of that visitor is now in the hands of someone else. 85% of interstate visitors recommend Discover Tasmania to their family and friends. 89% indicate they’ll return. If the experience they’ve decided on lives up to expectations, and the basic digital systems are in place, sales to this new customer today will continue, both directly and indirectly, for as long as they’re able to share positive stories with friends and explore our beautiful state.
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Tasmania’s richest spenders arrive on our doorstep. No work is needed to attract them from the East Coast or Hobart - they’re (literally) ready to roll.
Tasmania’s 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy outlines that arrivals by ferry stay twice as long and spend almost double compared to fly-in visitors. With the closest airport of significant volume up to 200km away for some NW operators, the heaving ferries - now with 29% greater people capacity and room for 60% more vehicles - are the market to be focused on.
And unlike the fly-ins on stricter itineraries, self-drive tourists navigate their meal windows and down-time with their phones. They’re deciding at 11:40 where lunch is, from a car park in Penguin, with no local knowledge and 40% battery.
If they can’t find you in that moment with a strong, trustworthy presence, you’re not in the conversation. The compounding lifetime yield never reaches your bottom line.
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Basic digital systems in tourism, hospitality and accommodation venues are purely common courtesy these days. It’s what you’d expect as a guest as much as clean sheets and cold b**r. Specifically;
- a website that looks good on any device, with your location, trading hours, current menu or pricelist, and contact/map information.
- a Google business profile complete with all the information above.
- light social media displaying a current, relevant presence.
- an email list capturing web browsing traffic, enquiries and in-person visits.
There are top-rated local businesses fulfilling the first 3 of these, but the 4th - the email list - is where the lifetime value compounds. A direct line to your most powerful advocates.
This can be captured from a booking form, a newsletter opt-in, or a QR code on a menu or till signage. ‘Hear about our new releases, upcoming events, off-season rates or free shipping.’
Remember the 85%? When a first-time visitor leaves you an outstanding review, will they ever hear from you again? How will they continue to order your product, recommend your venue, or gift their loved-ones a stay if you refuse to stay in touch?
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There’s another very active market the NW can capture, and retain with digital best-practices, and that’s the Day Trip.
Tasmanians love to explore their own state, with day trip spending up 75% on last year to $640m across the state; an average of $142 per day. That’s lunch, attractions, drinks and take-home produce.
Apply the lifetime value lens and the chances of a referral, gift voucher or return visit from these local first-time visitors is higher than their mainland counterparts thanks to the low barrier for access. 55% of day trips account for holiday purposes, meaning an email strategy highlighting great local products by great local people is a highly appealing, and easily actionable outcome for your customers who live an hour away.
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So the demand is here. Already spending, already telling people about us. The demand ‘problem’ is whether the business they stop at is yours, and whether they ever hear from you again after they leave. Give your guests the digital courtesy they deserve, and your business the credit it's earned.
*Data cited is from Tourism Tasmania Visitor Data and March 2026 Snapshot, unless otherwise stated.
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Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. Business Northwest Tourism Industry Council Tasmania
