Tasmania Wants to Become Southeast Asia’s Next “Coolcation”

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Tourism Tasmania is strengthening its presence across Southeast Asia as travellers increasingly seek cooler climates, authentic experiences and higher-value holidays beyond Australia’s traditional tourism routes. In an exclusive interview with Travel And Tour World, Monica Armesto, Head of Trade, Partnerships & International for Tourism Tasmania, outlined how the destination is building stronger trade relationships across Singapore, Malaysia and emerging markets.

The discussion followed AMSEA26 and its Singapore extension, where Tourism Tasmania connected with 86 influential travel buyers, alongside nine Tasmanian industry participants. The Singapore extension also brought tourism operators together with 45 frontline agents and 15 product managers, creating opportunities to strengthen product knowledge and destination advocacy.

Armesto highlighted growing interest in Tasmania as a “coolcation” destination, particularly during its winter season, while luxury accommodation, premium produce, seafood, wine, farm-to-table dining, wildlife and immersive cultural experiences are gaining momentum among Southeast Asian buyers.

Singapore remains a particularly important market, with well-travelled visitors increasingly seeking the “new news” of Australia rather than repeating conventional itineraries. At the same time, improved aviation connectivity and the expansion of Hobart International Airport could create further opportunities.

Looking ahead, Tourism Tasmania sees Southeast Asia as a key growth region for high-value, experience-led and sustainable tourism.

1. What makes AMSEA26 valuable for Tourism Tasmania, particularly when building relationships with travel partners in Southeast Asia?

Singapore has long been a priority market for Tasmania, and this marketplace is a key way to keep engaging with our distribution partners there. We met with 86 influential travel buyers and were at the event in strong numbers with 9 Tasmanian industry participants in AMSEA26 as well as our extension event in Singapore. That event was very successful in providing opportunities for our tourism operators to meet and train 45 frontline agents and 15 product managers during a fun-filled and educational event. These connections are invaluable in ensuring our trade partners remain confident in encouraging travel to Tasmania and are equipped with the latest experiences, itineraries and product updates to inspire travellers.

Events like AMSEA26 play an important role in strengthening collaboration with industry, building trade capability and supporting the sustainable growth of Tasmania’s visitor economy.

2. From your conversations at this year’s event, what trends or new opportunities are you seeing among travel buyers from Singapore, Malaysia and other emerging markets?

Southeast Asian travellers enjoy Tasmania’s distinct seasons, from our cool crisp winters, perfect for dark sky tourism, to our long summer nights. We definitely noted a strong interest in positioning Tasmania as a leading winter destination and ‘coolcation’ of choice for these markets. We’re also seeing demand shift towards higher value, experience led travel with Tasmania’s luxury offerings, where buyers look for unique destinations and experiences, including our boutique accommodation, our exceptional dining and fresh produce, and immersive history and heritage tours.

3. Tasmania is often known for its natural beauty, food and wildlife. What experiences do you think will appeal most to Southeast Asian travellers today?

Southeast Asian travellers are drawn to what makes Tasmania genuinely different, from cool-climate landscapes like Cradle Mountain and Macquarie Harbour to the wildlife and natural icons found across our regions.

Tasmania’s reputation for premium produce, fresh seafood, wines and farm to table dining also continues to be a major drawcard, offering visitors a true taste of place. Experiences such as seafood cruises, farm to table tours, unique cultural events, festivals and wildlife encounters continue to resonate, because they allow travellers to connect more deeply with Tasmania’s people, landscapes and local way of life.

As travellers increasingly seek sustainable and meaningful holidays, we’re seeing strong alignment with the authentic, experience-led tourism that Tasmania is known for. AMSEA26 was a fantastic opportunity for our operators to showcase new experiences and products to key travel buyers from across the region, giving them fresh reasons to recommend Tasmania.

3. Singapore is an important market for Tasmania. How does Tourism Tasmania approach this market differently from newer and emerging markets in the region?

Singapore remains a critical gateway to many of our priority markets, including of course for Singaporean travellers who are attracted to our natural environments, unique wildlife and distinct seasons. The Singaporean traveller is well travelled and very familiar with Australia. In fact, around three in four Singaporean visitors to Australia are repeat travellers, so they’re often looking to go beyond the traditional Australian holiday. Our job is to make sure they know the ‘new news’ and different experiences Tasmania offers, which often surprise visitors who have travelled on the mainland before choosing to visit our island.

5. How important are flight access and partnerships with airlines in attracting more visitors from Southeast Asia to Tasmania?

Being an island state, aviation is critical for the success of our visitor economy. Tasmania is currently well positioned with easy access through a number of domestic gateways. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth all offer direct non-stop flights to Tasmania, providing a range of options for Southeast Asian travellers.

Connectivity is one of the strongest drivers of sustainable tourism growth, and this is a long-term priority for Tasmania, improving aviation access and making the state easier to reach for high value visitors.

Hobart International Airport is also undergoing extensive expansion, including a $200 million (AUD) terminal upgrade and a runway extension that will enable long-haul international flights, making connections even easier.

6. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for Tasmania’s tourism industry in Southeast Asia over the next few years?

Tasmania remains a distinctive and highly desirable destination for Southeast Asian travellers, and we see significant opportunities to continue growing high-value visitation across the region. As travellers increasingly prioritise authentic experiences, nature, wellness, premium food and wine, and cooler climate escapes, Tasmania is well placed to meet those evolving preferences. Continued investment in aviation access, industry capability and strong trade partnerships will be key to converting that interest into long-term sustainable growth. Hobart Airport’s expansion further strengthens that opportunity by making Tasmania even more accessible in th

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