Bay of Fires rated best in world

The Bay of Fires region in Tasmania's north-east has topped a list of the world's best travel destinations published by influential tourism publisher Lonely Planet, while the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart has been voted the best hotel in the Asia-Pacific by readers of the opinion-shaping American magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

The pristine swathe of coast to the north of St Helen’s beat travel hotspots in France, Spain, Thailand, Hawaii and Chile to secure top place on the tourism bible’s 2009 Blue List. According to Lonely Planet, the area features "white beaches of hourglass-fine sand, Bombay Sapphire sea, an azure sky – and nobody. This is the secret edge of Tasmania, laid out like a pirate's treasure map of perfect beach after sheltered cove, all fringed with forest."

The Chief Executive of the Tourism Council of Tasmania, Daniel Hanna, said the entire State would benefit from the announcement. "Lonely Planet is a very widely read and well-respected publication that has a great capacity to influence international travellers," he told The Mercury. "This would have to have a huge impact on the number of visitors to the State and they won't just be going to the Bay of Fires."

Tourism entrepreneur Ken Latona pioneered guided walks in the area in the 1990s based around a luxurious, but eco-friendly wilderness lodge and a series of standing camps.

More than 32,000 readers of the widely circulated Conde Nast Traveler took part in its 2008 Readers' Choice survey. At the annual awards in New York in October, the Henry Jones Art Hotel edged out four leading Sydney hotels and strong competition from other cities in the Asia-Pacific to top the readers’ list of preferred accommodation. The Henry Jones Art Hotel was purchased by the Federal Group in December 2007. The group’s award-winning Pure Tasmania brand also features the iconic destinations of Strahan, Freycinet, and Cradle Mountain. Pure Tasmania’s Director of Tourism, Bernard Dwyer, said: “The Henry Jones embodies the core values of Tasmania and delivers a uniquely inspiring experience. Our focus on customer experience, art, the intriguing story of Henry Jones, quality design and furnishings, and of course our stunning waterfront location, all contribute to a world class experience.”

For other stories in this month’s Brand Tasmania newsletter, please click on the headlines.

The Tasmanian Government launched a $100 million scheme in October to provide loans to small and medium-sized businesses to support the local economy amid global financial uncertainty. If you would like to read the details of this State-level response, please click on the headline.

A proposal has been floated for a $1.9 billion steel mill at the Port Latta Major Industry Zone, following a merger between Western Australia's Grange Resources and Burnie-based Australian Bulk Minerals. If you would like to read more, please click on the headline.

Tasmanian wool producers are set to benefit from an agreement signed in September by Australia’s The Merino Company (TMC) with one of Europe’s largest suit manufacturers and distributors, Berwin & Berwin. The British company was given exclusive rights to the distribution of TMC branded, tailored wool suits. A growing number of Tasmanian producers supply superfine wool to TMC through Roberts Wool Link. If you would like to read more, please click on the headline.

The Midlands community is considering a proposal that would provide irrigation water to 78,000ha of farmland, from near Cressy to south of Oatlands. Three separate schemes in a Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board proposal would deliver 50,000 ML (megalitres) of water a year that would impact on farming practices in the region. If you would like to read more about a farming region at the crossroads, please click on the headline.

The first stage of the Separate Prison Conservation Project at the Port Arthur Historic Site is now open to visitors after a meticulous, million-dollar restoration of the experimental prison’s A-wing. If you would like to read more, please click on the headline.

Tote Tasmania committed in September to a five-year, $500,000 sponsorship, while the Government reaffirmed its commitment to a Tasmania-based team, despite sharing in the glory of the Hawthorn club’s 2008 AFL premiership. If you would like to read more on the fast-moving campaign, please click on the headline.

This month’s News-in-Brief is topped by a $10 million investment by Fonterra in its Wynyard cheese plant. We also cover a most impressive result on the jobs front; a proposed major financial sector merger; a bumper grape harvest; intriguing finds from a deep-sea survey; an upgrade for Lillico’s penguin colony; Hydro Tasmania welcoming some much-needed rain; and lots more. If you would like to read the October edition of News-in-Brief please click on the headline.

This month’s quiz prize will be:

The September quiz answer: 21.4km