Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

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Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Overlandman » Thu 23 Jul, 2015 6:28 pm

Snippet from today's Mercury

THE popular Overland Track has experienced a surge in interest with bushwalkers rushing to book out the peak summer season within three weeks of passes going on sale.

State Parks Minister Matthew Groom said there had been a “massive increase in interest in walking the iconic track next season”, warning the window from December 26 to January 6 was already fully booked.

Usually completed in five or six days, the 65km trek – one of Australia’s favourites – traverses temperate rain forest and apline plains as it stretches from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair.
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Overlandman » Thu 23 Jul, 2015 9:03 pm

More from ABC
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Significant interest in Overland Track as bookings spike and holiday period already full
Posted about 2 hours ago

View from Marion's Lookout at northern end of Tasmania's Overland Track.
PHOTO: The peak Christmas period for Overland walk is already booked out. (ABC News: Lauren Day )
MAP: Cradle Mountain 7306
Tasmania's iconic Overland Track is set for another bumper season with a spike in bookings and the peak period already booked out.

Over 580 bookings have already been made, with nearly 1,700 walkers planning to make the 65-kilometre trek from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair between October and May.

That is almost double the number of bookings made at the same time last year and the Parks and Wildlife Service said the peak Christmas holiday period was fully booked.

About 8,000 people took on the Overland Track last year.

Parks Minister Matthew Groom said the high interest reflected Tasmania's increased global profile.

"Tasmania has got what the world wants," he said.

"This is one of the reasons the Tasmanian Government has undertaken an [Expression of Interest] process, in relation to our national parks - it is important that our offerings are genuinely world class."

Mr Groom expected the first successful tourism development put forward as part of an Expression of Interest process, to be finalised in coming weeks.

Twenty-five proposals are being considered for Tasmania's national parks and about seven are in the World Heritage Area.

Mr Groom said four of those have progressed through to lease and license negotiations.

"I think we're likely to see the first of those being finalised very shortly in the coming weeks, there are a number of other projects that are going through the more detailed business case assessment phase."

Three Capes Track could be just as popular: Groom

Mr Groom was confident the unfinished Three Capes Track on the Tasman Peninsula would be just as popular as the Overland Track.

In January, it was listed as one of the world's hottest new travel experiences for 2015 by Lonely Planet.

"The second stage of the Three Capes Track is expected to be finalised towards the end of the year, and this has already been identified as one of the leading coastal experiences, genuinely world class," the listing said.

The third stage still requires more funding, which has not been forthcoming from the Federal Government.

Mr Groom said the state was still negotiating.

"We've announced some additional funding as part of our election commitment, we stand by that, and will continue to work with the Commonwealth Government to ensure that project can be fully delivered," he said.

Work on the $25 million track that will showcase Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy began in 2010.

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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Nuts » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:09 pm

Thanks OLM, i'd noticed the frenzy, though not seen the press releases. There are many places left either side of Xmas/NY, I'd go later in summer myself.
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby vicrev » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 8:15 pm

Just wondering....in a monetary sense what does this increase in walkers bring into the Tas economy..has anyone have an approx ?....
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Nuts » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 8:53 pm

Hi vicrev, It would only be a wild guess in terms of figures as there is a corresponding effect on guided tours and I guess there would be a factor of those who miss out and walk or visit somewhere else?

It's hard define state government revenue other than napkin math. In this case I imagine will only become harder as partnership deals are made.
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby vicrev » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 9:24 pm

Thanks for the reply Nuts. :) ....I'm just trying to put it into perspective to compare the monetary impact & if walking tourists give the same economy (benefits ?) as for example Spain who have a few mill people walking around every year & pumping heaps into the local businesses etc.......The problem is the Spanish Gov do not put back hardly any of the indirect taxes from the walking tourists to improve the tracks/facilities.....It all goes into that magic pool called "Consolidated Revenue "...........probably the same in Oz.......
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Nuts » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:05 pm

As far as i'm aware OLT revenue is 'spent back on the track'.

Most other revenue goes into consolidated funds as I understand.
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Re: Overland Booking Season 2015 / 16

Postby Tassieoptom » Sun 26 Jul, 2015 9:25 am

On our walk earlier in July we met the newly appointed head of parks for the region. We had a good long chat and fees and spending came up. He said they raised approx 2 million dollars from overland track fees last year. Of that money it paid for wages, visitor centres, helicopters, gas, toilet supplies and maintenance, hut maintenance etc. he said there was 173 000 dollars left which could be spent on track maintenance and upgrades. So less than 10%. Much of the gas and toilet costs are incurred in the " non-booking" season, which has seen an almost exponential growth in numbers. Take home message is do not be surprised if there will be changes to the fee system, possibly including a winter season fee.
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