❓ The Minister for Tourism provides an update on the government's efforts to support WA's tourism industry as it transitions to a post-COVID economy, highlighting consultations with industry representatives and plans to re-engage with key international markets.
AnsweredQoN 752Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — TRANSITION PLAN
752. Mr G. BAKER to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to WA's safe
transition plan and the McGowan Labor government's ongoing commitment
to driving the state's economic recovery. Can the minister update the
house on the work underway to support jobs and businesses in WA's
tourism industry as we transition to a post-COVID economy?
752. Mr G. BAKER to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to WA's safe
transition plan and the McGowan Labor government's ongoing commitment
to driving the state's economic recovery. Can the minister update the
house on the work underway to support jobs and businesses in WA's
tourism industry as we transition to a post-COVID economy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for South Perth
for his very important question. The tourism industry in Western Australia has
been impacted like other industries, but there continues to be fantastic
reports of amazing volumes of visitors and visitations
through all of regional Western Australia. It has been spectacular and it has
been very welcomed. We have already embarked on our round tables
throughout Western Australia, and we have visited six areas within Western Australia including Kalgoorlie, Kimberley,
Kununurra, Karratha and the Pilbara. We have been into Broome and Pinjarra in the Peel region, and, of course,
we will continue to go into other parts of Western Australia including metropolitan areas such as Fremantle, the hills and the valley. We will go to
Margaret River, Hillarys, Albany and Exmouth. This is a whirlwind trip through
all these areas.
I have to say that our six
consultations so far have been very, very well attended. I must pay my
gratitude and, indeed, congratulate the tourism industry sector representatives
we have met with so far. They are very positive and want to be well and ready
to welcome back visitors, when it is safe to do so, both internationally and of
course from those interstate areas that have
been recipients of some restrictions. They are very eager to share the stories
o f Western Australia; they are very
eager to share their magnificent regions. What we are doing with these
consultations , along with the round tables with the senior and peak
bodies, is making sure that we are ready and that we have a very strong suite of tourism products to offer
when it is safe to do so for visitations. We want the sector to be robust .
We want it to be able to very effectively share the beauty of this magnificent
state and we want to make sure that we are also, of course, reengaging with
markets that have been impacted. That is why Tourism Western Australia is
currently warming the 11 key international markets. We see Singapore as one of
those 11 that are very important to reconnect
with as soon as it is safe to do so. This puts us in great stead for not only
re-imagining Western Australia to the world, but also capitalising on
the unique assets that we have, including our magnificent landscapes,
magnificent history, magnificent cultural experiences and magnificent
experiences more broadly.
This is a reset for tourism. I am very pleased to have my parliamentary secretary,
the member for Swan Hills, who is working very closely on this. I have to say
that it is exciting for the future of tourism in Western Australia. We will
position ourselves to not only be ready, but also deliver a unique experience
for those numbers. I think they will come back in even greater numbers once it
is safe to do so. I am very excited about doing it. I thank all those industry sector representatives, both small and
large operators, for their willingness to work closely with government ,
closely with TWA and closely with their own sector representatives to make us
ready and able to respond. It will be a great
experience for the tourism industry post-COVID. We are positioning ourselves to
do that and the McGowan government is demonstrating that we recognise
tourism as being one of the most important economic drivers now and into the
future if we are going to deliver a diversified economy to Western Australians.
We
already see our unemployment rate at a record low today. All the indicators
show that this is a very optimistic time, and it is a pity that those on the
other side in the Liberal and National Parties do not share that optimism. In
fact, they wake up every morning, go to the fruit bowl, suck on a lemon and
come in here. That is sad for Western Australia, because this is a time
for optimism. This government is optimistic; the opposition are lemon suckers.
for his very important question. The tourism industry in Western Australia has
been impacted like other industries, but there continues to be fantastic
reports of amazing volumes of visitors and visitations
through all of regional Western Australia. It has been spectacular and it has
been very welcomed. We have already embarked on our round tables
throughout Western Australia, and we have visited six areas within Western Australia including Kalgoorlie, Kimberley,
Kununurra, Karratha and the Pilbara. We have been into Broome and Pinjarra in the Peel region, and, of course,
we will continue to go into other parts of Western Australia including metropolitan areas such as Fremantle, the hills and the valley. We will go to
Margaret River, Hillarys, Albany and Exmouth. This is a whirlwind trip through
all these areas.
I have to say that our six
consultations so far have been very, very well attended. I must pay my
gratitude and, indeed, congratulate the tourism industry sector representatives
we have met with so far. They are very positive and want to be well and ready
to welcome back visitors, when it is safe to do so, both internationally and of
course from those interstate areas that have
been recipients of some restrictions. They are very eager to share the stories
o f Western Australia; they are very
eager to share their magnificent regions. What we are doing with these
consultations , along with the round tables with the senior and peak
bodies, is making sure that we are ready and that we have a very strong suite of tourism products to offer
when it is safe to do so for visitations. We want the sector to be robust .
We want it to be able to very effectively share the beauty of this magnificent
state and we want to make sure that we are also, of course, reengaging with
markets that have been impacted. That is why Tourism Western Australia is
currently warming the 11 key international markets. We see Singapore as one of
those 11 that are very important to reconnect
with as soon as it is safe to do so. This puts us in great stead for not only
re-imagining Western Australia to the world, but also capitalising on
the unique assets that we have, including our magnificent landscapes,
magnificent history, magnificent cultural experiences and magnificent
experiences more broadly.
This is a reset for tourism. I am very pleased to have my parliamentary secretary,
the member for Swan Hills, who is working very closely on this. I have to say
that it is exciting for the future of tourism in Western Australia. We will
position ourselves to not only be ready, but also deliver a unique experience
for those numbers. I think they will come back in even greater numbers once it
is safe to do so. I am very excited about doing it. I thank all those industry sector representatives, both small and
large operators, for their willingness to work closely with government ,
closely with TWA and closely with their own sector representatives to make us
ready and able to respond. It will be a great
experience for the tourism industry post-COVID. We are positioning ourselves to
do that and the McGowan government is demonstrating that we recognise
tourism as being one of the most important economic drivers now and into the
future if we are going to deliver a diversified economy to Western Australians.
We
already see our unemployment rate at a record low today. All the indicators
show that this is a very optimistic time, and it is a pity that those on the
other side in the Liberal and National Parties do not share that optimism. In
fact, they wake up every morning, go to the fruit bowl, suck on a lemon and
come in here. That is sad for Western Australia, because this is a time
for optimism. This government is optimistic; the opposition are lemon suckers.
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