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Tourism & Forestry Protocol Agreement
Posted on Wednesday, 7 October 2009 | Permalink
The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania says the new protocol agreement with the Forestry Industry provides more specific measures to deal with the tough issues and allows a maturing of the relationship between both industries.
TICT Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hanna said today the updated Tourism & Forestry Protocol Agreement recommitted both industries to working together to deal with difficult issues.
“Over the past six years the Protocol Agreement has served us well by facilitating consultation, communication and liaison between the two industries,” Mr Hanna said.
“The new Agreement takes the relationship to a higher level and has been refined to better respond to the current and future challenges.
This includes specific schedules to deal with the key issues of: planning and sightlines, planned burns, forest access roads and transport, and branding and education.
“This doesn’t mean that there won’t be disagreements between tourism and forestry on some issues but it shows that we can deal with these issues maturely when they arise,” Mr Hanna said.
“The TICT is not heavy on ideology. It is not our job to defend or attack other industries or groups in Tasmania; but to work closely with all, including the environmental movement, to find practical solutions. The TICT likes to consider itself an honest broker in this respect, an organisation committed to solutions and not conflict.
Mr Hanna said the updated agreement focused more on education and mutual understanding about each other’s industries.
“Importantly, this document will not ‘sit on the shelf’, but instead will be the vehicle for tourism and forestry to deal with the tough issues and increase our mutual understanding. The continued successful development of the relationship between tourism and forestry is particularly helpful in the increasing number of towns and areas in Tasmania for whom tourism and forestry are important parts of the local economy.
“Both parties recognise that each industry is crucial to Tasmania’s economic performance, investment, jobs and growth. We also both recognise that we have a shared responsibility to protect the Tasmanian brand,” Mr Hanna said.
An independent survey of Tasmanian tourism operators commissioned by the TICT in 2008 found that 80 per cent believe that the two industries can co-exist in the state into the future.
The Agreement commits both parties to jointly promoting Tasmania’s wilderness and forests, including its world class conservation reserve system on private land, and in State forests and national parks.
