The carrying capacity of the Spirit of Tasmania is continuing to leave Australian grey nomads high and dry … and hitting tourism on the Apple Isle. As we reported earlier in the year, a shortage of space for caravans and motorhomes on the Spirit means many travellers are unable to get to and from Tassie when they want. And the problem persists.
The Daily Mercury reports that industry groups are still fuming that travellers are being stranded on the mainland, with waiting times of up to three months. The newspaper reported that, last week, the Spirit of Tasmania had just two dates available for caravan and motorhomes to travel from Melbourne during September, and there were 17 days in October with no vacancies.
Caravan Industry Australia Tasmania Inc chairman Anthony Edwards said complaints about the difficulty of bringing a motorhome or caravan to Tasmania had spiked in the past two years.
“Currently, the lack of available spaces on the Spirit and also the cost of the Spirit is probably the number one block in getting people over here,” he told the Daily Mercury. “It creates a reputation in the marketplace that Tasmania is too difficult to get to.”
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said it was important to ensure any additional crossings would be well patronised.
“It’s a fine line, creating the availability, when the demand to make the trips viable is perhaps not quite there,” he said.
Caravan park operators are obviously concerned it will mean less grey nomads, and others, visiting.
“If people can’t get a booking for two and a half months, then what are they going to do?,” BIG4 Kelso Sands Holiday Park operator, Barbara Radley, told the Mercury. “They’re going to bypass Tasmania.”
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