超过10亿澳币的项目建设霍巴特市中心

A $1 BILLION rejuvenation of Hobart's city centre is set to bring a boost to retailers but local operators have been told they will need to have an online presence to succeed.

"There are 17 individual projects listed for development or currently under way at the cost of over $1 billion," Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas said.

"The present development program is the biggest ever experienced in the city's history."

Mr Thomas said the Australian Retailers Association met in Hobart yesterday and told local retailers that online shopping needed to be part of an overall passion for retail, offering good service and products.

The Wellington Walk retail development has recently been completed and stage two of the $12 million renovations of the Cat & Fiddle Arcade by Silverleaf Investments are under way, with a range of national retail outlets set to open in the city for the first time.

Silverleaf Investments director Gerard O'Brien has been in the property development industry for 27 years and he believes there is a bright future for the Hobart CBD and greater Tasmania.

"Online shopping should not be seen as a threat but used as a tool to reach customers," Mr O'Brien said.

"Purchases made online only account for about 5-6 per cent of overall sales on average."

He said it was important to look at the big picture and not focus on small, negative issues.

"Hobart's CBD is a central hub for retail," he said. "Fundamentally, there is huge potential."

Mr O'Brien said Hobart was still below the national average of 2.4 metres of retail trading space per person, which was a good indication there was room for further growth.

"Although they have a lower average household income, Tasmanians also have lower mortgages to repay, meaning more disposable income," he said yesterday.

"Hobart is a very good place for development at the moment."

The Small Business Council of Tasmania has received funding from the State Government to help small businesses get an online presence.

"It is a digital front door," said council executive director Robert Mallett.

"Even if retailers do not actually sell online, it's important to have a presence. But bricks and mortar are still the focus of retail. People still want to walk through the doors of a shop for many reasons."

Effie Burns, 22, of Hobart, works in retail and said although she shops online she also makes an effort to buy locally.

"I like the experience of being in a store, being able to try things on," she said.