Tasmania offers huge investment opportunities in tourism, agriculture, forestry, and mining.

 Tasmania boasts a resourceful and resource-rich economy, with a reputation for quality. Its compelling brand, abundant mineral, forest, water and agricultural resources, tourism assets, relaxed lifestyle, and competitive cost base combine to make Tasmania an outstanding location for investment.

Home to approximately 500 000 people, Australia’s island state offers all the conveniences of modern city living, including high-speed broadband, first class education and health care, with a low cost of living and some of the most affordable housing in Australia. Tasmanians also enjoy breathing some of the cleanest air in the developed world.

Tasmania is home to a vocal and passionate Chinese community, with a Chinese cultural society and Chinese business society that work with governments and the wider community, ensuring that Chinese migrants to Tasmania receive a warm welcome and support for their new businesses.

 Whether your interest is in investing in new or existing enterprises or sharing an enviable lifestyle, Tasmania deserves your consideration.

Tasmania has one of Australia’s most favourable business environments, including Australia’s lowest aggregate land costs, lowest business licensing costs, low business taxes and a strong, skilled labour force.

There are opportunities for investment in a number of key sectors – particularly in forestry, mining, tourism and agribusiness.

Forestry

The Tasmanian forest sector operates under well-established environmental standards, with native forest resources only harvested outside of extensive reserves systems. The sector produces high quality hardwood products, including specialty timbers held in high regard by architects, craftspeople and artists. Opportunities exist for project developers and investors, particularly within the biomass and bioenergy industries.

Mining and resources

Tasmania is one of the most mineralised areas in the world and its key mining sectors include copper, silver, gold, tin, lead, zinc and iron ore, among others. The state has a long and prosperous history of mining, and has yielded approximately A$150 billion of extracted mineral commodities in current-day dollars. Current mining and exploration operations in Tasmania’s west coast have identified in-ground resources worth more than A$11 billion at current prices.

Tasmania’s world-class hydro and wind energy system allows the state to generate approximately 90 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources. This efficient, low-cost energy powers major industries, such as Tasmania’s aluminium and zinc manufacturers, and offers a compelling reason for investors to locate energy-intensive activities in
the state.

Tourism

In 2013, Tasmania welcomed one million tourists from both within Australia and overseas. It is an increasingly popular holiday destination for tourists from Asia. In fact, between March 2012 and March 2013 there was a 54 percent increase in the number of Chinese tourists to Tasmania. With this increase also come more investment opportunities into Tasmania’s tourism infrastructure industries, including established businesses, established businesses with development, and greenfield developments.

Tasmania is renowned for its national parks and World Heritage Sites, which provide further opportunities in eco-tourism investment to accommodate the growing number of Chinese tourists seeking out high quality and unique travel experiences.

Agribusiness, dairy and viticulture

Finally, Tasmanian branded-fine foods, fruit and vegetables are globally renowned for their quality and safety. Tasmania already provides fruit and vegetables to the rest of Australia and the world, and has an award-winning dairy sector.

Fruit and vegetable growers in Tasmania take advantage of the state’s distinctly fertile soils, great climate and the strict bio security measures that keep the island relatively disease free. This bio security is essential to Tasmania’s agribusiness. For example, Tasmania is the only state in Australia that can export cherries to China.

One of Tasmania’s key competitive advantages is its access to abundant water resources through high rainfall and reliable irrigation systems, which have been enhanced through recent investment and expansion. Tasmanian dairy farmers benefit from pasture growth that is highly productive and low cost.
Key areas of investment for overseas export opportunities include the dairy industry, with direct investment into dairy farms or for sole ownership, fruit and vegetable production, viticulture (wine), hops (beer), and niche industries including honey, ginseng, olives and herbs. Tasmania’s agricultural sector also benefits from counter seasonal production opportunities to those of the northern hemisphere.

Tasmania offers investors a range of development opportunities arising from:· brand attributes of quality and sustainability which are well-known internationally

· reliable water resources coupled with large-scale irrigation expansion that will transform Tasmanian agriculture

· international reputation for producing safe, high-quality food when there is growing global demand

· strong biosecurity and relative freedom from agricultural pests and diseases

· approximately 90 percent of Tasmania’s electricity supply comes from renewable sources (hydro and wind) which can provide electricity users with market advantages

· being one of the most highly mineralised places on the planet

· substantial forestry resources

· a thriving science and research sector and attractiveness as a test-bed location

· natural and heritage assets which are a magnet for tourism

· a strategic position as a key Antarctic gateway, with the capital city of Hobart a critical hub for Antarctic logistics, science and research that no other gateway can match

· liveability, which is a drawcard for people who want to live, work, study and visit

· support from the Tasmanian Government’s investment facilitation unit, Invest Tasmania, which can help investors identify opportunities, assist with site selection and infrastructure needs, and help investors to navigate approval processes.

Further information on investing in Tasmania can be found at www.investtasmania.com.au or email invest@investtasmania.com.au.

For information on Tasmanian Government state sponsorship for business migration visa, please visit www.migration.tas.gov.au, email business@migration.tas.gov.au or call +61 03 6165 5050.