Join us at Tasmania's newest hospitality training facility to celebrate its rebirth as the Tasmanian Hospitality & Tourism Academy. Formerly known as Visitor Experience Training (VXT), the academy is proudly owned by the Tasmanian Hospitality Association and the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania. It provides industry-designed, hands-on training that prepares students for real-world success, with a focus on the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in our industry.
The range of courses is extensive, and is pitched at all levels of the professional spectrum, from job seekers to industry leaders and everything in between. Come and hear all about it at their new home in Castray Esplanade!
Please note that there are regularly photographers at our events, taking photos for use on digital platforms. If you do not want to be photographed, please let us know when you RSVP, or on arrival at the event.
We are able to deliver Tips and Tipples events to our members free of charge as part of their membership benefits package, however, if you are not a partner or financial member of DST and would like to come, please contact us.
Please also let us know if you have any specific access requirements.
2 5 & 2 6 J U L Y , 2 0 2 5
P R I N C E S W H A R F 1
Registrations closing soon!
If you haven't already booked your exhibition space for the 2025 Tasmanian Tourism Showcase, click the button below to make sure you don't miss out.
St Martins of Tasmania offers accommodation in a lovingly restored church in the heart of Dunalley. Owner Simon Holloway has also developed DineAlley Tours - a bold and boutique new agritourism experience on the Tasman Peninsula, offering visitors a rare behind-the-scenes taste of one of the island’s most productive and picturesque regions. Designed exclusively for solo travellers and couples (1–4 guests only), DineAlley creates the opportunity for guests to access to real farms (many not ordinarily open to the public), meet the producers, hear their stories and immerse in their operations.
Share your news with DST
Destination Southern Tasmania is always interested in your industry updates. Completing this form lets us know what’s happening in your business or region. Your news and information may be shared with Tourism Tasmania and throughout the Destination Southern Tasmania social, email and web channels. Priority is given to DST members.
NEWS FROM SOUTHERN TASMANIA
Paint the Town Red 2025
Join the celebration and light up your business in red for Tasmania’s biggest winter celebration, Dark Mofo!
Paint the Town Red is an unmissable opportunity for businesses across Tasmania to light up, stand out, and be part of the winter magic. Each year, as Dark Mofo takes over the state, our streets, venues, and businesses glow red in a bold and dramatic display of creativity.
If you’re a business owner wondering how to get involved, click on the button below for your complete guide to Painting the Town Red.
This Off Season, Mures Tasmania and Pooley Wines have collaborated on a spectacular event, the Southern Bluefin Carving Ceremony, that truly celebrates Tasmanianess in all its glory. This is more than a dining experience: it's a unique exploration of what seasonal truly means; what it takes to produce consistently top quality goods over three generations; and what magic can happen when like-minded people with shared values and commitment come together to express their passion and creativity. On the first Tuesday evening of every month from May to August, lucky guests at the newly renovated Mures Upper Deck will bear witness to a respectful and insightful tuna carving by Mures Fishing General Manager, Jock Mure, followed by four outstanding tuna courses thoughtfully matched with Pooley wines.
Five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can read more about the collaboration HERE, or book a spot HERE.
Lala's Garden at the Old Woolstore
On the topic of collaborative gold, The Old Woolstore has launched its latest project: Lala's Garden. Dr Amy Jackett, in collaboration with artists Janice Ross and Evie Silver, and also with Aboriginal cultural consultant Theresa Sainty, has coordinated the installation of a new garden onsite which showcases the native and often rare Tasmanian plants which once grew freely in Nipaluna/Hobart, and the critters that live amongst them. Janice's watercolours and Evie's sculptures tell the story of the Hobart Rivulet and how it was formed by Lala (a black ant) and her many friends.
The garden is in two parts: one near the entrance to the hotel and the other in a large courtyard area, perfect for events and gatherings, or simply a spot to sit and reflect.
Condemned
Cascades Female Factory Historic Site is proud to present Condemned: 4 Lives, 4 Trials, 4 Executions. You Be the Judge. This immersive new experience is available as part of Tasmania’s Off Season, for a limited time until 30 August. Visitors can step inside a virtual courtroom to explore the powerful true stories of Eliza Benwell, Mary McLaughlin, Margaret Galvin, and Mary Sullivan – the four female convicts hanged in Van Diemen’s Land. Through interactive participation, visitors are invited to cast their verdict and reflect on the complex legal, social, and moral questions raised by these historic trials. Presented Saturdays, 2:30 pm at the Cascades Female Factory. Bookings are online at www.femalefactory.org.au/.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
WxNW Regional Tourism Forum
Tuesday, 20 May, 12:30-9:00pm
Join WxNW (even if you are not an operator in that region!) for an afternoon line-up of speakers including keynotes Legless and Blind (Mike Rolls and Ben Pettingill), Spirit of Tasmania, Tourism Tasmania, Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, a panel on AI and innovation, and more!
A cocktail party will follow the afternoon program; you can book for either or both via the button.
Business Tasmania is hosting FREE EVENTS to help kickstart your new business.
Are you ready to transform your business idea into reality but don't know where to start? Or perhaps you've launched but sales aren't where you want them to be?
How to Get Started in Business — Learn the essentials of establishing your business
5:00pm Wednesday, 7 May — Hobart 5:30pm Wednesday, 21 May — Kingston 12:00pm Thursday, 12 June — Online
How to Get Started with Sales and Marketing — Discover strategies to consistently generate sales
5:00pm Tuesday, 20 May —Hobart 5:30pm Wednesday, 28 May— Kingston 12:00pm Tuesday, 25 June —Webinar
Delivered in partnership with the TCCI, this series is aimed at people who employ staff and will connect you to useful resources to help you build a healthy workplace culture.
Learn how to choose the right social media platforms, develop a content planner, and identify the types of content that are trending in 2025. The workshop covers useful techniques for scheduling posts, capturing quality photos and videos, writing engaging captions, using apps to support content creation and how to analyse performance data. Online,19 May,5:30pm – 7:30pm FREE
The TICT and THA are teaming up to work on a program to address the challenges of waste in the tourism and hospitality industries, and as part of the industry consultation phase, they are holding several conversation sessions around Tasmania, to better understand the current situation, including industry sentiment, the cost of waste, education gaps and opportunities. click the button on the left to join this very important conversation in Hobart, Launceston St Helens or Devonport (right before the Regional Industry Forum).
Tasmanian Leaders presents Leading at the Edge– a series of one-day workshops designed to equip participants with the skills, insights, and tools necessary to lead at any stage of their career.
The series aims to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing today’s leaders. From AI in business to the neuroscience of leadership, climate adaptation, and complexity, there’s something for every leader looking to step up and make an impact.
TOURISM INDUSTRY NEWS
Aboriginal Place Names
There have been some recent updates to the Tasmanian Government's Aboriginal and Dual Naming Policy. It now suggests capitalising the first letter of place names, however it is worth being aware that some Tasmanian Aboriginal people reject traditional English grammatical rules around capitalisation of place names, and continue to use lowercase.
You can find out more about the policy and reference group, and also find a list and map of gazetted Aboriginal place names HERE.
Tasmanian Tourism Emerging Leaders Education Tour
In a first for Tasmania's tourism industry, a group of emerging and young tourism leaders (pictured below) embarked on an educational tour of experiences and products in regional Victoria in April, to share learnings between the two states. The educational delegation is part of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania's Young Tourism Network, which brings together passionate young and emerging future leaders in the industry to network and promote tourism as a career of choice.
Six participants representing tourism and hospitality businesses from right across the state visited Melbourne, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula to hear from operators about their tourism career learnings. They returned to Tasmania brimming with great ideas, insights and enthusiasm they are now sharing with their employers and colleagues.
The program was supported by Pennicott Wilderness Journeys and Kinetic with the aim of not only keeping abreast of the industry's best practice standards, but also highlighting the career opportunities available to Tasmania's next generation of hospitality and tourism professionals.
POSITIVE IMPACT IN ACTION
The Old Woolstore continues to stay ahead of the curve with its latest sustainability project: a solar panel installation towards the end of last year. Having just previously installed six EV Charging Stations into their on-site carpark, this is just another way the hotel is reducing its carbon footprint. This is strongly aligned with their Environmental Statement, the mere existence of which puts them ahead of many other businesses, by naming their environmental commitment up front and holding themselves accountable, whilst also encouraging their guests to do the same. Well done OWS!
The solar panels project was supported by a Tourism Emissions Reduction Grant.
The Tasmanian Government has announced the $5 million Spirit Preparedness Fund as one of a suite of initiatives in response to the delays to the operational launch of the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels.
The fund aims to help businesses and local councils respond to visitor demand and improve the visitor experience in anticipation of the arrival of the new Spirit of Tasmania ships. Successful applicants will be required to make at least a dollar for dollar co-contribution.
Touring grants of up to $20,000 are available to eligible organisers of touring activities that are held between March and November (inclusive) that attract more than 40 people to Tasmania, who stay in paid commercial accommodation for five nights or more and spend 40 per cent or more of the touring activity in regional areas (outside Greater Hobart).
Championships grants of up to $10,000 are available to eligible organisers of competitions, championships and sporting events that bring more than 100 competitors and supporters to Tasmania, who stay for three nights or more and promote pre- and post-championship travel within the state as part of their event marketing.
The 2025 Event Attraction Fund provides grants of up to $750,000 and will encourage statewide dispersal of events through increased funding available for regionally held events. The aim of the Fund is to secure mass participation events which will deliver strong levels of interstate visitation and substantial economic and social benefits for the state during the shoulder and winter months.
Application is a two-staged process which must begin at least four months before the event. The fund closes on 31 May, 2027 or earlier if funds are fully subscribed.
The $50 million Regional Tourism Development Loan Scheme is now open for applications. The scheme is available to promote investment in tourism products and experiences that stimulate regional tourism and dispersal in Tasmania. The scheme will open for applications until 2pm, 30 June 2026 or until all funding has been utilised, whichever occurs first.
The Scheme will provide no-interest loans of between $500 and $10,000 over three years to eligible households, residential landlords, small businesses and community organisations to fund investment in energy-efficient products.
.jpg?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Condemend%20Blurb%20Image%202%20(002).jpg)
.jpg?upscale=true&width=420&upscale=true&name=Essentials%20to%20starting%20a%20small%20business%20series%20(002).jpg)
.png?upscale=true&width=420&upscale=true&name=Building%20Better%20Workplaces%20Events%202025%20updated%20(002).png)
