THE state government has come under fire from tourism industry leaders after Western Australia failed to garner a single trophy, or even a mention, at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2009 held last week.
THE state government has come under fire from tourism industry leaders after Western Australia failed to garner a single trophy, or even a mention, at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2009 held last week.
The 27 awards on offer included major tourist attraction and major festival and event (won by Melbourne Aquarium and Adelaide’s 2009 Tour Down Under respectively), new tourism development (Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse Holiday Accommodation, NSW), tourism wineries (awarded to Victoria’s De Bortoli Winery and Restaurant) and indigenous tourism product (Booderee National Park, NSW) to name a few.
No WA companies or tourism products made it onto the award winners’ list and none qualified for the highly commended list.
Australian Hotels Association WA executive director, Bradley Woods was not surprised.
“Unfortunately it’s not surprising we didn’t win as there’s an enormous amount of work required to get WA on the tourism map and at current rates of development, investment and marketing and promotion we could be waiting a long time,” Mr Woods said.
Tourism Council WA president, Paul King, who was at the awards ceremony in Hobart, said there was a sense of disappointment among those Western Australians present.
“We’ve got to raise the bar from a tourism perspective rather than just looking at mining and energy,” Mr King said.
He said that those in attendance from TCWA and Tourism WA, including Tourism Minister Liz Constable, reacted with a strong commitment to do whatever is necessary to assist tourism operators in submitting their award applications in the future.
However, increased funding would not solve the problems faced by potential investors and developers in establishing quality tourist attractions and offerings worthy of winning awards.
“We’re not asking the government to throw more money at it but asking the government to make the planning process easier for future tourism development to get these things off the ground and up and running,” Mr King said.
Mr Woods said potential investors and developers were not the only ones feeling frustrated.
“Some areas of the state government seem paralysed with process instead of focusing on achieving outcomes,” he said.
“It may seem critical but WA has some of the most fantastic natural attractions on offer.
“However the glitz and glamour of other states’ marketing campaigns and the ease with which investors find new developments being approved means the people of WA have every right to feel frustrated and disappointed.”
Tasmania’s Bruny Island Cruises won the ecotourism award, the Old Melbourne Gaol Crime & Justice Experience won the heritage & cultural tourism section, and Brisbane won the best visitor information services centre.
