Tassie a hit with international visitors

Tasmania is proving a hit among international visitors, with the latest tourism figures showing a 22 per cent increase in the number of foreigners touching down on the island state.

During the 12 months up to June, 198,000 international visitors reached Tasmania, up from 163,000 the previous year, with the Apple Isle a chart-topper among visitors from China, Canada, the UK and the US.

Visitors from abroad spent an estimated $298 million while in Tasmania, with the state government championing the visitor growth rate as Australia's best and double that of its closest competitor, Victoria.