Marketing Broome to the world

BROOME’S expanding tourism industry will be well catered for in coming years with the development of two new resorts.

The Forrest Creek syndicate has unveiled plans for the Cable Beach Sanctuary, while the Paspaley pearling family will strengthen its traditional ties with the Kimberley’s premier tourist destination with the construction of the Pinctada Resort.

The $38 million Cable Beach Sanctuary is set just 700 metres from the shores of Broome’s famous beach and is a mix of permanent residential and hotel accommo-dation.

Selling agent Hutchinson Real Estate director Tony Hutchinson said 70 per cent of the 160 units would be reserved for tourist accommodation while the rest would be available for public purchase.

Prices for a 28sq m unit start at $134,000 and a 110sq m luxury bungalow starts at $375,000.

Construction on the resort project, which includes a pool, restaurant, café and day spa, is expected to start in July, with the first guests able to unpack their suitcases by March 2002.

Marilynne Paspaley is behind the $20 million Pinctada Resort, which takes its name from the pinctada maxima shells that produce Australian South Sea Pearls.

The resort consists of more than 100 self-contained apartments, three pools, restaurants, conference facili-ties and landscaped recreational space.

Construction of stage one of the project is set to start in August and is expected to be completed in time for the 2002 tourism season, which kicks off after Easter.

The 70 single bedroom, 32 two bedroom and 12 executive strata-titled apartments will be available for public purchase for between $160,000 and $225,000.

Pinctada Resort property marketing agent PRD Realty Broome director Angus Murray said the apartments could be bought by private investors who then could let them to tourists.

“The apartments are not meant for residential use, owners can not permanently set up in them,” he said.

“They can have extended holidays there and when they aren’t there the apartments will be managed by the resort manager.”

Ms Paspaley said the theme of Pinctada Resort would be ‘Kimberley meets the sea’ and the grounds would be decorated with distinctive water features, tropical gardens and red rocky landscaping.

Mr Murray said that, with the Broome tourism industry growing at a rate of about 7 per cent a year, another major resort hotel was needed.

“The interstate and overseas markets are growing … and at the moment the Cable Beach Inter Continental Resort is the only major hotel,” he said. “Another major resort hotel would give the region the muscle and the power to help Broome break into new markets overseas and interstate.”

And not to be outdone by the two new hotels, Cable Beach Inter-Continental Resort is undergoing a $1 million revamp.

The money will go toward refurbishing The Club restaurant, upgrading the reception area and improving the rooms and bungalows.