❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Tourism about a reported decrease in international visitor spending since he took office. The Minister refutes this, citing an overall increase in visitor spending and record visitor numbers, blaming the previous government for a decline in leisure travel and lack of tourism investment.
AnsweredQoN 484Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — VISITOR NUMBERS
484. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Tourism:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the minister at least admit that according to Tourism Research Australia,
total international visitor spend is down 10 per cent, or $250 million less in
spending, since he came to office in March 2017?
484. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Tourism:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the minister at least admit that according to Tourism Research Australia,
total international visitor spend is down 10 per cent, or $250 million less in
spending, since he came to office in March 2017?
AnswerView source ↗
Again, I will confirm that since we
came to office there has been an $830 million increase in spend by visitors to Western
Australia. We now know that from December 2017 to December 2018, more visitors
came to this state from interstate and overseas combined than at any time in Western
Australia's history. In 2018 we had the biggest visitor numbers in
history and it was the biggest tourism year in history. We are fixing the mess
we inherited. It was a disaster.
Several members interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : Leisure travel
collapsed under the previous government. Everyone knows that during the boom, Western
Australia had the most expensive hotels in the country and the most expensive
coffee on the planet. We got that reputation and the Barnett government did
nothing to repair it. It did nothing to prepare for the downturn.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the first time. It was quiet when you were not
here!
Mr P. PAPALIA : All the
Barnett government did was inflict four years of economic pain on the state and
inflict pain on small businesses right across the state. There was no
preparation, no advocacy and no effort to create new markets, which is what we
have done.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : On 1
September, small businesses in Western Australia can look forward to the boom
in Japanese tourism as a consequence of our efforts to get All Nippon Airways
to fly from Tokyo to Perth seven days a week.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The previous
government lost direct flights between Japan and Australia. We have renewed
them with the magnificent Japanese airline, ANA, and it will commence services
on 1 September, seven days a week. There will be a benefit to all small
businesses as a consequence of that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
Member for Vasse, you are on three,
so be very careful—you are still shouting out—unless you would
like to go home early.
came to office there has been an $830 million increase in spend by visitors to Western
Australia. We now know that from December 2017 to December 2018, more visitors
came to this state from interstate and overseas combined than at any time in Western
Australia's history. In 2018 we had the biggest visitor numbers in
history and it was the biggest tourism year in history. We are fixing the mess
we inherited. It was a disaster.
Several members interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : Leisure travel
collapsed under the previous government. Everyone knows that during the boom, Western
Australia had the most expensive hotels in the country and the most expensive
coffee on the planet. We got that reputation and the Barnett government did
nothing to repair it. It did nothing to prepare for the downturn.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the first time. It was quiet when you were not
here!
Mr P. PAPALIA : All the
Barnett government did was inflict four years of economic pain on the state and
inflict pain on small businesses right across the state. There was no
preparation, no advocacy and no effort to create new markets, which is what we
have done.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : On 1
September, small businesses in Western Australia can look forward to the boom
in Japanese tourism as a consequence of our efforts to get All Nippon Airways
to fly from Tokyo to Perth seven days a week.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The previous
government lost direct flights between Japan and Australia. We have renewed
them with the magnificent Japanese airline, ANA, and it will commence services
on 1 September, seven days a week. There will be a benefit to all small
businesses as a consequence of that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
Member for Vasse, you are on three,
so be very careful—you are still shouting out—unless you would
like to go home early.
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