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The support of licensed outlets across Tasmania will have a direct effect on the ability of Strait Brands to take advantage of the state's expanding tourist market.
Key cities, towns and attractions on the tourists' fly-drive and sail-drive circuit of Tasmania provide direct access to potential sales. Typically, tourists flying into Hobart head for Queenstown and Strahan on the West Coast and drive clockwise around Tasmania, taking in Cradle Mountain, the Tamar Valley, East Coast and Tasman Peninsula.  Those landing in Launceston visit the same sights in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, while those arriving by the triple Spirits of Tasmania ferries tend, in the main, to circuit the state west to east. Along these routes there are countless attractions, many with souvenir and craft sales, and a substantial number of them licensed for the sale of alcohol. This style of outlet presents a significant and prominent stage for the promotion and sales of vodka and the flavoured range. The management team projects to achieve take home sales to 20 per cent of all airborne tourists and 30 per cent of those travelling by ship within 12 months. Most of these visitors are from mainland Australia and this sales activity will be an important marketing tool for the expansion of sales interstate. An evaluation of a $1.2m Tourism Tasmania advertising campaign targeting high-yield visitors highlighted an increase of $17m in revenue over 12 months. The campaign focused on older, affluent consumers and young couples and single people from New South Wales who were pre-disposed to visiting the state but who had not yet made the journey. While the future of the Spirit of Tasmania III ferry between Sydney and Devonport hangs in the balance, there has been a substantial switch to travel by air and new routes to and from mainland cities have been established.
It is those holiday dollars that should provide further lucrative opportunities for Strait Brands and its Strait Drinks and Strait Fine Food subsidiaries.
TOURIST STATISTICS
Tourism expenditure in Tasmania should have topped $1 billion in the last financial year, according to Tourism Tasmania. The forecast followed the announcement that tourism earned Tasmania a record $945 million in 2002-03, an increase of one third on the previous year. Visitor numbers were also up considerably - by 22 per cent - to more than 700,000. The increases are attributed to the introduction of dual passenger ferries between Melbourne and Devonport and more competitive air fares since the launch of Virgin Blue services. Arrivals by ferry rose 61% to 179,000 and air traveller statistics grew 15% to 470,000. A more than 12% increase was recorded for international visitors, to 108,000, while North American visitor figures rose by 20%.
Retail spending in the hospitality and service industries was up 18.6%. Tourism Tasmania chief executive Rob Giason said one of the best aspects of the increase in visitor numbers was that 56% of people travelling to the state made a return trip within five years. Another major factor influencing the retail spend was the increase in the length of stay to 9.8 days with an average spend of $147 per person per night.
Tourism Tasmania predicts visitor numbers and associated spend is likely to eventually stabilise at a 12% increase year on year. |
