CIM NEWS MAGAZINE Issue 2 2017 | Page 26

TASMANIA Aiming high While Hobart’s boutique, ‘farm gate’ reputation has visitors flocking in, the city is on a mission to prove that it has so much more to offer, writes Brittney Levinson. Hobart is often referred to as “boutique” destination, known for its vast wilderness, historical and cultural influence, and its strong food and wine scene. well, and that’s the feedback we get back from our clients.” And while that reputation has brought in more and more visitors over recent years, Hobart has set out to show the country, and the world, that it is a lot more than that. “We’re a very compact city, surrounded by the beautiful Derwent River and Mount Wellington and we offer a lot of activities that can be centred around those two wonderful parts of nature. But importantly our city is very walkable, so delegates can easily walk from venue to hotel,” he says. Business Events Tasmania CEO Stuart Nettlefold says the state is working on breaking down the perception that Hobart can only hold small conferences. “The truth is we can host those larger conferences, of up to 1100 delegates,” he says. “What we know is that when we get those conferences into the city, we cater for them very Nettlefold says the position and size of the city is what sets it apart from other Australian capital cities. “That’s where we differentiate from the bigger capital cities, often in those cities you have to travel quite a way to get to those experiences.” Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart general manager Ralph Freckelton agrees, saying the close proximity of confere