❓ A WA parliamentary question scrutinises overseas travel expenses of public servants attending Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, questioning the necessity and cost of the trip. The Minister's response defends the travel as crucial for promoting WA tourism in a key market.
AnsweredQoN 615Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Tourism—Staff—Las Vegas conference
615. Hon Neil Thomson to
the minister representing the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the
overseas travel expenses of two Western Australian public servants reported in
the tabled paper for three months ended 30 September 2024, for Messrs Johnson
and Forbes from the former Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation
to the Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas during 10 to 16 August last year, held
at Bellagio Resort and Casino, Aria Resort and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las
Vegas, and Vdara Hotel and Spa.
(1) Why was it necessary for one staff member to
travel for 14 days, and the other for 10 days for what was a four-day
conference?
(2) Why was it necessary to send two staff members
on a Vegas trip at a cost of $32,000?
(3) What activities were conducted prior to and
after the conference?
(4) At what premises did the two staff members
stay for the duration of the trip?
(5) Has a report been submitted to government, and
if so, when and by whom?
(6) Can a copy of the report be tabled?
(7) If a report has not been completed, why not?
The President: Honourable member, before I give the
call to the minister, that question seems to me to not meet the definition of
concise, but I will ask the minister if he is able to provide an answer.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn: Thank you, President. Given
your comments about the lack of conciseness about the question, I can advise in
advance that the answer is not concise either, so I apologise in advance.
The President: For which there is a different standing
order and I will respond to later.
615. Hon Neil Thomson to
the minister representing the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the
overseas travel expenses of two Western Australian public servants reported in
the tabled paper for three months ended 30 September 2024, for Messrs Johnson
and Forbes from the former Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation
to the Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas during 10 to 16 August last year, held
at Bellagio Resort and Casino, Aria Resort and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las
Vegas, and Vdara Hotel and Spa.
(1) Why was it necessary for one staff member to
travel for 14 days, and the other for 10 days for what was a four-day
conference?
(2) Why was it necessary to send two staff members
on a Vegas trip at a cost of $32,000?
(3) What activities were conducted prior to and
after the conference?
(4) At what premises did the two staff members
stay for the duration of the trip?
(5) Has a report been submitted to government, and
if so, when and by whom?
(6) Can a copy of the report be tabled?
(7) If a report has not been completed, why not?
The President: Honourable member, before I give the
call to the minister, that question seems to me to not meet the definition of
concise, but I will ask the minister if he is able to provide an answer.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn: Thank you, President. Given
your comments about the lack of conciseness about the question, I can advise in
advance that the answer is not concise either, so I apologise in advance.
The President: For which there is a different standing
order and I will respond to later.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you,
President. I just make the point in advance. I only just saw the answer myself.
The following answer
has been provided to me by the Minister for Tourism.
(1) Ms Forbes travelled from 9 to 18 August 2024
and Ms Johnson travelled from 9 to 20 August 2024, which represented travel
time, attending Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas followed by meetings with
Tourism Western Australia's United States market representation team, MMGY
Wagstaff in Los Angeles, along with key LA-based media
and trade partners, and Singapore Airlines. Following the work commitments, Ms
Johnson took two days personal time off over a weekend. Ms Forbes returned to
Perth.
(2) The USA is a priority market for Western
Australia and Virtuoso is the leading luxury travel consortia in the USA.
Travel Week is the flagship event. Ms Forbes and Ms Johnson's attendance
facilitated discussions with senior management from Virtuoso, along with undertaking
40 meetings with luxury travel advisers as well as with the above-mentioned
significant travel and aviation partners. The cost of the trip includes registration
fees for the Virtuoso Travel Week event.
(3) Prior to attending the conference, Tourism WA
in partnership with Business Events Perth had submitted a bid to host the 2025
Virtuoso Forum AUNZ. The event was held in Perth from 25 to 26 February 2025 and
attracted over 200 attendees, including Virtuoso owners and managers, partners,
media and senior vice presidents. Tourism WA's partnership with Virtuoso has
continued with other key trade events such as ILTM Asia. There has been ongoing
engagement with trade partners, travel advisers and Singapore Airlines, including
cooperative marketing campaigns.
(4) In Las Vegas, the staff members stayed at one
of the venues hosting the conference. In Los Angeles, the staff members stayed
at Hotel Ziggy West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
(5)–(7) A requirement for a report was not
identified in the travel proposal approval.
The President: It is standing order 106, for
reference.
President. I just make the point in advance. I only just saw the answer myself.
The following answer
has been provided to me by the Minister for Tourism.
(1) Ms Forbes travelled from 9 to 18 August 2024
and Ms Johnson travelled from 9 to 20 August 2024, which represented travel
time, attending Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas followed by meetings with
Tourism Western Australia's United States market representation team, MMGY
Wagstaff in Los Angeles, along with key LA-based media
and trade partners, and Singapore Airlines. Following the work commitments, Ms
Johnson took two days personal time off over a weekend. Ms Forbes returned to
Perth.
(2) The USA is a priority market for Western
Australia and Virtuoso is the leading luxury travel consortia in the USA.
Travel Week is the flagship event. Ms Forbes and Ms Johnson's attendance
facilitated discussions with senior management from Virtuoso, along with undertaking
40 meetings with luxury travel advisers as well as with the above-mentioned
significant travel and aviation partners. The cost of the trip includes registration
fees for the Virtuoso Travel Week event.
(3) Prior to attending the conference, Tourism WA
in partnership with Business Events Perth had submitted a bid to host the 2025
Virtuoso Forum AUNZ. The event was held in Perth from 25 to 26 February 2025 and
attracted over 200 attendees, including Virtuoso owners and managers, partners,
media and senior vice presidents. Tourism WA's partnership with Virtuoso has
continued with other key trade events such as ILTM Asia. There has been ongoing
engagement with trade partners, travel advisers and Singapore Airlines, including
cooperative marketing campaigns.
(4) In Las Vegas, the staff members stayed at one
of the venues hosting the conference. In Los Angeles, the staff members stayed
at Hotel Ziggy West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
(5)–(7) A requirement for a report was not
identified in the travel proposal approval.
The President: It is standing order 106, for
reference.
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