❓ Question regarding the impact of tourism investment on WA jobs and businesses, and government strategies to further develop the tourism industry. The Minister highlights the significant tourism bounce back and ongoing efforts to attract direct flights and support events.
AnsweredQoN 383Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM
— VISITORS
383. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the now Cook
Labor government's efforts over many years to increase the number of
visitors to WA. Can the minister advise the house what the significant
investment made by visitors in WA means for local jobs, small business and
tourism operators across the state, and can the minister advise the house what
steps the government is taking to further build WA's tourism industry?
— VISITORS
383. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the now Cook
Labor government's efforts over many years to increase the number of
visitors to WA. Can the minister advise the house what the significant
investment made by visitors in WA means for local jobs, small business and
tourism operators across the state, and can the minister advise the house what
steps the government is taking to further build WA's tourism industry?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for
Belmont for that question. As the new Minister for Tourism, I am very focused
on c ontinuing the good work of my predecessors, the now Premier, the
Minister for Police, who was tourism minister for many years, and, of course,
the member for Mandurah.
Mr D.A. Templeman : I was a bit shorter.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He was probably the least successful tourism
minister. During his term, the borders were closed and we did not get
any international or interstate visitors!
Mr D.A. Templeman : I have never been great at timing.
The SPEAKER : Minister, there are standing orders about
adverse reflections!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I can move a motion to that effect. We
could suspend standing orders and have a debate because I think the facts will
be there! International and interstate tourism dropped under the Minister for
Culture and the Arts —
Mr D.A. Templeman : Can you
get on with the question, please?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The good
thing is that things have changed after I inherited tourism from the Premier,
who was driving the bounce back in our tourism spend and activity since the
global pandemic. Of course, the tourism industry is an essential and key part
of diversifying the economy, creating jobs and helping us to meet our jobs
target—we actually surpassed our jobs target today—and
continuing to provide opportunities and career choices for Western Australians
across the state. As I have said, we have seen a significant tourism bounce
back. In 2022, the total spend by visitors in Western Australia was $14 billion,
which was $500 million more than in 2019. We have seen expenditure across the
regions as well. During the pandemic we saw significant tourism throughout regional WA. The good thing is that people saw
regional events or had regional experiences and now they are going back
because they got to experience our first-class regional tourism events.
We
have some exciting events coming thanks to the former Minister for Tourism. We
will hold the Repco Supercars Championship for another two years.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Good on
you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, Minister
for Energy.
We will hold five FIFA Women's
World Cup games here in Perth. I am very excited about that. Perth will also host a couple of English Premier League games
between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, led by Australian manager
Ange Postecoglou. Three Matildas games will be played in October and, of
course, Coldplay will be performing, which all our friends in the eastern
states are very angry about. We have direct flights to London, Rome, Manila and Jakarta. The direct flight to
Tokyo will start by the end of October and the tickets became available yesterday. We will continue to drive tourism in this state. It is a glorious
state to experience. Our focus continues to be on obtaining more direct
flights. That is a very hard task because there is a shortage of aircraft
around the world post the global pandemic, but we are very much continuing the
work of the now Premier in negotiating with airlines around the world to bring
more airlines back to WA. We are supporting industry attractions, tourism
infrastructure and events. We continue to build our events calendar to make
sure that people from the eastern states and international visitors have a great
experience, and also so that Western Australians can enjoy events and
experiences that they can be proud of. We will continue to work on behalf of
the tourism industry and the many small businesses in that industry to promote
this great state.
Belmont for that question. As the new Minister for Tourism, I am very focused
on c ontinuing the good work of my predecessors, the now Premier, the
Minister for Police, who was tourism minister for many years, and, of course,
the member for Mandurah.
Mr D.A. Templeman : I was a bit shorter.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He was probably the least successful tourism
minister. During his term, the borders were closed and we did not get
any international or interstate visitors!
Mr D.A. Templeman : I have never been great at timing.
The SPEAKER : Minister, there are standing orders about
adverse reflections!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I can move a motion to that effect. We
could suspend standing orders and have a debate because I think the facts will
be there! International and interstate tourism dropped under the Minister for
Culture and the Arts —
Mr D.A. Templeman : Can you
get on with the question, please?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The good
thing is that things have changed after I inherited tourism from the Premier,
who was driving the bounce back in our tourism spend and activity since the
global pandemic. Of course, the tourism industry is an essential and key part
of diversifying the economy, creating jobs and helping us to meet our jobs
target—we actually surpassed our jobs target today—and
continuing to provide opportunities and career choices for Western Australians
across the state. As I have said, we have seen a significant tourism bounce
back. In 2022, the total spend by visitors in Western Australia was $14 billion,
which was $500 million more than in 2019. We have seen expenditure across the
regions as well. During the pandemic we saw significant tourism throughout regional WA. The good thing is that people saw
regional events or had regional experiences and now they are going back
because they got to experience our first-class regional tourism events.
We
have some exciting events coming thanks to the former Minister for Tourism. We
will hold the Repco Supercars Championship for another two years.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Good on
you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, Minister
for Energy.
We will hold five FIFA Women's
World Cup games here in Perth. I am very excited about that. Perth will also host a couple of English Premier League games
between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, led by Australian manager
Ange Postecoglou. Three Matildas games will be played in October and, of
course, Coldplay will be performing, which all our friends in the eastern
states are very angry about. We have direct flights to London, Rome, Manila and Jakarta. The direct flight to
Tokyo will start by the end of October and the tickets became available yesterday. We will continue to drive tourism in this state. It is a glorious
state to experience. Our focus continues to be on obtaining more direct
flights. That is a very hard task because there is a shortage of aircraft
around the world post the global pandemic, but we are very much continuing the
work of the now Premier in negotiating with airlines around the world to bring
more airlines back to WA. We are supporting industry attractions, tourism
infrastructure and events. We continue to build our events calendar to make
sure that people from the eastern states and international visitors have a great
experience, and also so that Western Australians can enjoy events and
experiences that they can be proud of. We will continue to work on behalf of
the tourism industry and the many small businesses in that industry to promote
this great state.
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