The Commercial Visitor Services (CVS) Unit provides information on
obtaining a licence or a lease for conducting commercial activities on
reserved land.
The CVS licensing system was introduced in 2000 at the request of
and after extensive consultation with Tasmania’s tourism industry.
The CVS system is managed by the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS)
and is designed to provide a "one stop shop" approach for persons
wishing to conduct tourism based commercial operations in areas managed
by one or more of the following authorities:
- PWS;
- Crown Land Services,
- Forestry Tasmania; or
- Wellington Park Management Trust.
Why are licences required?
The CVS licensing system provides:
- A mechanism for measuring and directing
the use of crown land with the prime aim of ensuring these activities
do not compromise conservation values;
- A set of minimum standards of public safety and public liability cover;
- Security of access for CVS contract holders; and
- Operators with the opportunity to inform their customers of conservation values and the importance of conservation.
What you need to do
You may apply for a licence by completing an application form
(PDF 94 Kb), providing supporting documentation such as relevant maps
and an operations manual and paying the application fee of $50.00
Before completing your application, we suggest you contact our CVS staff on (03) 6233 3636 to discuss your proposal.
Our Guide for Operators (PDF 92 Kb) booklet also provides a comprehensive summary of the licence application and approval process.
Business Trading Name
When conducting business in Tasmania you must register the trading name in Tasmania.
The office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading, which is the organisation in Tasmania responsible for the registration of trading names, advise that:
- Trading name registration is compulsory in every state and territory in which the business operates; and
- When
conducting a tour in Tasmania an operator is considered to be offering
a service to Tasmania and/or Tasmanians and is therefore required to
register the trading name in Tasmania.
It is up to individual operators which entity they choose to
nominate for the purpose of obtaining a CVS licence. However, the PWS
have a responsibility to ensure that the Crown is entering into a
contract with a legal entity that complies with Tasmanian legislation.
The PWS is will only enter into a contract with a company, a
individual or a business with a trading name that is registered in
Tasmania.
Is it a Licence or a Lease?
If you are applying for a standard business licence, you will
(subject to approval) be issued with a 5-year contract. The only
ongoing fee is an annual licence administration fee of $275 (GST
inclusive).
Please note that in some cases an assessment may be required if the
activity you propose is new or has the potential for significant
environmental impact.
However if your business is seeking exclusive use (licence) or
occupation (lease) of crown land or requires special monitoring or
infrastructure, could you please contact our CVS staff who will be able
to provide you with further information on the application and
assessment process.
Please note that in such cases, the licence or lease and the return
to Government is negotiated on a case by case basis by the relevant
management authority.
If your business is providing a community based rather than a
tourism based service, (eg a post office, library) you will also need
to contact our CVS staff who be able to explain the approval process to
you.
Prior to Issuing a Licence
As you will be required to develop an Operations Manual prior to being granted a licence, we would suggest that you review this outline (PDF 49 Kb) to find out about the general requirements of this document.
If your business will provide commercial bushwalking tours on
specific tracks, you will need to review the following documents to
determine the classification of the track and the maximum party size
and client to guide ratio.
- PWS Walking Track Management Track Classification System
Please note that prior to the issue of a contract, you will also need to provide evidence that you hold:
- Public liability insurance cover to the value of $10 million; and
- Any
other relevant certificates and licenses (eg Marine and Safety
Tasmania/ Transport) required, which will be dependant on the type of
your operation.
After the Licence has been Issued
While your licence will have a number of conditions that relate to
your specific business or activity, you will also be required to obtain
accreditation with the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania within 18
months from the commencement date of your licence.
The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania web site will provide you with further information in relation to this process.