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❓ A parliamentary question regarding the proposed Indian Ocean Travel Mart convention, its cancellation, and the reallocation of government funds initially allocated to it. The Minister provides details on the funding's use for other tourism initiatives.

AnsweredQoN 196Legislative Assembly

Asked

9 August 2000

Member

Mr McGOWAN

Portfolio

Tourism

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the proposed Reed Travel Exhibition Indian Ocean Travel Mart Convention and ask - (a) when was this convention proposed to be held; (b) what was the nature of this convention; (c) how much did the Government allocate toward this project; and (d) what happened to these funds? Answered on 21 September 2000 The Minister

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

21 September 2000

Response time

43 days

a) It was originally proposed that the first Indian Ocean Travel Mart was to be held in August 1997. The event was not held in that year or subsequent years as negotiations to contract Reed Exhibition Companies (REC) to run the event fell through. This was a result of the economic situation in Asia and REC experiencing difficulties with another annual event it was running in Singapore, the PATA Travel Mart. b) It was not a convention but a travel trade mart or workshop specifically targeting the adventure travel segment featuring product exclusively from the Indian Ocean Rim countries selling to a worldwide group of international trade buyers. c) The Government committed $150,000 per year for 4 years from 1997/98. d) The funding has been utilised for the hosting of the Australian Tourist Commission's hallmark Asian travel trade event, Travel Australia Business Show (TABS), which was held in Perth in October 1999. In addition, further amounts were reallocated to a Partnership 21 initiative, to the Visitor Servicing Network and the remainder of $54,000 will be carried forward. Of the $450,000 allocated to date, the funds have been expended as follows: $196,000 To assist in the staging of the Travel Australia Business Show (TABS) in Perth, October 1999 $192,500 To assist in funding of the state?s Visitor Servicing Network, an initiative of Partnership 21 $ 7,500 Deposit paid to Burswood on exhibition space for the Indian Ocean Travel Mart. Deposit is to be refunded. $396,000 $ 54,000 Unspent - is to be carried forward $450,000 Total as at end fiscal 1999/2000
(b) what was the nature of this convention; (c) how much did the Government allocate toward this project; and (d) what happened to these funds?
(c) how much did the Government allocate toward this project; and (d) what happened to these funds?
(d) what happened to these funds?

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