❓ Mr Papalia questions the Minister for Tourism about the decision to close the Seoul tourism office despite a significant increase in Korean tourists and their above-average length of stay. The Minister defends the decision based on value-for-money and reallocation of resources.
AnsweredQoN 479Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM WA
— SEOUL OFFICE CLOSURE
1. 479. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the minister's
broken promise for an additional $24 million over four years specifically for
the tourism marketing budget, along with the decision to close the Seoul
tourism office.
(1) Does the minister concede that it was
a poor choice to close the Seoul office in light of the dramatic 24 per cent
increase in Korean tourists visiting WA in the 12 months to June this year?
Dr K.D. Hames interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for Health, are
you finished?
Mr P. PAPALIA : My next question is —
(2) Does the minister also concede that it was
an especially poor choice, given that, relative to the number of visitors,
Korean tourists, when they do come to Australia, spend an above-average number
of nights here?
— SEOUL OFFICE CLOSURE
1. 479. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the minister's
broken promise for an additional $24 million over four years specifically for
the tourism marketing budget, along with the decision to close the Seoul
tourism office.
(1) Does the minister concede that it was
a poor choice to close the Seoul office in light of the dramatic 24 per cent
increase in Korean tourists visiting WA in the 12 months to June this year?
Dr K.D. Hames interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for Health, are
you finished?
Mr P. PAPALIA : My next question is —
(2) Does the minister also concede that it was
an especially poor choice, given that, relative to the number of visitors,
Korean tourists, when they do come to Australia, spend an above-average number
of nights here?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for the question. It is true that Tourism WA closed down the
Seoul office. That decision was made based on the patronage and activity being
generated out of that office. We have engaged the services of a contractor to
the tune of $12 000 to encourage the interest still there in that market and to
keep our feelers out to see whether that market might rebound. Those decisions
are made based on the market we perceive to be present at the time. We were
certainly not getting a value-for-money return on that investment and the
decision was made by Tourism Western Australia that that money would be better
spent in other markets where we are getting a far greater return on our investment.
I thank the member for the question. It is true that Tourism WA closed down the
Seoul office. That decision was made based on the patronage and activity being
generated out of that office. We have engaged the services of a contractor to
the tune of $12 000 to encourage the interest still there in that market and to
keep our feelers out to see whether that market might rebound. Those decisions
are made based on the market we perceive to be present at the time. We were
certainly not getting a value-for-money return on that investment and the
decision was made by Tourism Western Australia that that money would be better
spent in other markets where we are getting a far greater return on our investment.
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