Instagram for Tasmanian Tourism: How Hobart, Launceston & Devonport Can Attract Visitors
- Kirsty Dryburgh
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Instagram has become one of the most influential platforms in travel planning, often shaping where people go before they ever open a booking website. For Tasmania’s tourism sector, this presents a major opportunity. Visitors researching Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport increasingly rely on Instagram to discover destinations, accommodation, dining, experiences, and local attractions. For tourism businesses, an effective Instagram presence can directly influence travel decisions and visitor numbers.
To stand out in a highly visual and competitive space, Tasmanian tourism operators must go beyond posting scenic images. A strategic, location-focused Instagram approach helps turn inspiration into action.
Why Instagram Matters for Tasmania’s Tourism Industry
Instagram is uniquely suited to tourism because it is driven by visuals, storytelling, and discovery. Tasmania’s landscapes, food culture, wildlife, heritage, and seasonal experiences translate naturally into engaging content. Travellers often search Instagram to visualise what a destination feels like before committing to travel plans, and content that reflects authentic local experiences tends to perform best.
For Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport, Instagram also acts as a digital word-of-mouth channel. When visitors share their experiences, tag locations, and mention businesses, they create organic exposure that reaches far beyond traditional marketing efforts.
Showcasing Place, Not Just Product
One of the most effective tourism strategies on Instagram is to sell the experience, not just the service. Accommodation providers, tour operators, restaurants, and attractions perform better when their content places the business within the broader destination story. Instead of focusing only on rooms, menus, or packages, successful tourism brands show how visitors feel when they are there.
In Hobart, this may mean highlighting harbour views, historic streets, and cultural events. In Launceston, content that reflects nature, food, wine, and relaxed regional charm resonates strongly. In Devonport, coastal scenery, outdoor experiences, and gateway-to-Tasmania storytelling appeal to visitors arriving by sea or road. Positioning your business as part of the destination experience makes your content more aspirational and shareable.
Using Location Tags to Drive Discovery
Location tags are one of the most powerful tools for tourism visibility on Instagram. Travellers often browse location feeds to explore what others have experienced in a city or region. Consistently tagging Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, and specific attractions or venues increases the likelihood of your content appearing in front of potential visitors during the research phase.
For tourism businesses, this local discoverability is critical. Appearing in location feeds builds familiarity, and repeated exposure increases trust. When travellers later search for accommodation, tours, or dining options, businesses they have already seen on Instagram are far more likely to be considered.
Leveraging Seasonal and Event-Based Content
Tasmania’s tourism cycle is closely tied to seasons and events, and Instagram content should reflect this rhythm. Seasonal storytelling helps keep your content relevant year-round and aligns with how visitors plan their trips. Winter festivals, summer coastal experiences, autumn food and wine events, and spring nature content all provide strong narrative hooks.
Event-based content is particularly effective for attracting visitors planning trips around specific experiences. Highlighting festivals, exhibitions, markets, or sporting events positions your business as part of a timely, memorable experience. This type of content often generates higher engagement because it feels current and purposeful.
Turning Visitors into Content Creators
User-generated content plays a powerful role in tourism marketing. Visitors sharing photos, videos, and Stories from Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport provide authentic social proof that influences future travellers. Encouraging guests to tag your business and location helps extend your reach without additional advertising spend.
Reposting visitor content also strengthens trust. Prospective travellers are more likely to believe real experiences shared by other visitors than branded promotional images alone. Over time, this creates a content ecosystem where your audience actively contributes to your marketing presence.
Using Instagram Stories to Build Travel Anticipation
Instagram Stories are particularly effective for tourism businesses because they allow for real-time storytelling. Stories can showcase daily experiences, weather conditions, behind-the-scenes moments, and spontaneous highlights that feel immediate and authentic. For travellers researching destinations, Stories help create a sense of being there already.
Tourism businesses in Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport can use Stories to highlight day-to-day atmosphere, seasonal changes, or guest experiences. This informal content complements polished posts and keeps your brand visible at the top of followers’ feeds.
Collaborating with Local Tourism Partners
Collaboration is a powerful strategy in tourism marketing. When local businesses support one another on Instagram, they expand reach while reinforcing destination appeal. Accommodation providers partnering with tour operators, restaurants collaborating with wineries, or attractions working with local creators help build a cohesive destination narrative.
For visitors, seeing multiple businesses connected through shared content strengthens confidence in the destination. For businesses, collaboration increases exposure to new audiences who are already interested in visiting Tasmania.
Converting Inspiration into Action
While Instagram is often associated with inspiration, effective tourism marketing also encourages action. Clear calls to action in captions and Stories guide visitors toward booking pages, websites, or enquiry forms. Linking Instagram content to location-specific landing pages helps bridge the gap between inspiration and conversion.
For tourism operators, aligning Instagram content with booking pathways ensures social engagement translates into measurable results. Visitors who feel inspired and informed are more likely to take the next step.
Final Thoughts: Instagram as a Tourism Growth Tool
For Tasmania’s tourism industry, Instagram is far more than a branding platform. It is a discovery engine, storytelling channel, and decision-making tool for travellers exploring Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport. Businesses that embrace authentic visuals, local storytelling, and community engagement can influence travel choices long before visitors arrive.
By showcasing experiences, leveraging location tags, encouraging visitor participation, and aligning content with Tasmania’s seasonal rhythm, tourism businesses can turn Instagram into a powerful driver of visitation and growth.






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