TASMANIAN tourism is bracing for a tough peak season.

RICKY Ponting will miss the opening one-dayer against Sri Lanka today to return to Launceston for his grandmother's funeral.

QUEENSLAND'S tourism catchcry is, "Beautiful one day, perfect the next" but not as far as Tassie's Tigers are concerned.

AIR travel to Tasmania will expand from December, giving tourism a $250 million-plus cash injection.

CRUISE operator Michael Davis hopes his new tours will be part of a resurgence of tourism to Maria Island.

TOURISM Minister Michelle O'Byrne has hit back at claims it was too expensive for small operators to participate in joint marketing.

TOURISM Minister Michelle O'Byrne has defended the State Government's attitude to struggling small tourism operators statewide.

DISGRUNTLED small tourism operators have vented their anger at the marketing strategies of Tourism Tasmania.

TOURIST groups are alarmed by figures that show a marked fall in visitor nights and spending.

TOURISM Tasmania has not ruled out a visit from talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, when she tours Australia.

THE road to Musselroe Estate is gravel and its front entrance is as modest as any along the lonely road.

THE push to bring TV adventurer Bear Grylls to Tasmania to film an episode of <i>Man vs Wild</i> has stalled.

TASMANIAN Tourism Minister Michelle O'Byrne has laughed off a tirade by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett.

TASMANIA could soon boast another eco-tourism drawcard to take pressure off the Overland Track.

THREATENED strike action by pilots across the nation could bring the state's tourism industry to its knees.

THE tourism benefits enjoyed by the Hawthorn-Tasmanian Government contract may have been exaggerated by 300 per cent, a leading Tasmanian analyst believes.

TOURISM operators hope Darlington Probation Station's new World Heritage listing will boost visitor numbers.

MANY tourism operators are experiencing a slump but say they are too scared to speak out against Tourism Tasmania.

THE decaying state of Hobart's wharves is threatening tourism and the working port, the Hobart City Council heard last night.

AN Art Deco expert believes Tasmania would be on a winner if it combined its hydro-electric and Art Deco histories and marketed it as a tourism drawcard.

TASMANIAN tourism has stagnated in the past five months as fewer airline seats and a strong dollar cut visitor numbers.

A CHANCE meeting between a tourism executive and the PM led to Kevin Rudd changing his tight schedule.

HOBARTIANS have been asked to be on their best behaviour next week as the city hosts a big tourism conference.

HOLIDAYMAKERS returning from Bruny Island today can expect to wait up to four hours for a ferry in a growing trend costing the island millions in lost tourism.