Many Western Australians have fond summer memories of salt-encrusted summer holidays “down south” and there is no doubt that tourism is one of the most important economic drivers in the Busselton Shire.
Whether it is among the palatial homes of Perth’s elite at Eagle Bay, or camping in a caravan park, Busselton has long offered holidaymakers myriad options.
Whereas the population of the region used to quadruple over summer, thanks to promotions such as the Western Australian Tourism Commission’s “winter breaks” campaign, tourists are rapidly becoming a permanent fixture in the region, and major contributors to the economy.
The traditional tourist attractions in the region are built to showcase the natural environment, with wineries, local producers, the Busselton Jetty, and local art featuring.
Without a doubt, the region’s greatest asset is the pristine natural environment. Tourists flock to the beaches, caves, and forests.
Increasingly, festivals, concerts, and events are establishing themselves and attracting large numbers of people.
The Ironman qualifier will take place on November 28 and will have WA’s top ironmen battle it out for one of 25 qualifying spots in the 2005 Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii.
The course consists of a 3.8km swim in a bay adjacent to the Busselton Jetty, a 180km course through the old-growth Ludlow Tuart Forest National Park, and will finish with a 42.2 km run alongside the Geographe Bay foreshore.
As the profile of the region grows in Australia, and indeed the world, more tourism operators are vying for the opportunity to take advantage of increasing numbers flocking to the region for holidays.
Several five-star tourism developments have recently opened, giving an indication of the trend of future developments, and several more are in the pipeline, including a $52 million Hilton development.
In April, Mirvac Fini opened its $60 million, 153 villa, Bunker Bay resort, which will also have a day spa by the middle of next year.
Mirvac Fini is selling the villas to private investors, and has sold about 100, priced between $300,000 and $500,000.
At the other end of the scale in terms of capacity, Moondance Lodge opened its eight-villa retreat on a 13ha site last month.
Emphasising a connection with the natural environment, which allows creativity to flow freely, Moondance main lodge is designed to be a conference facility and is targeted at the business market.
With the advent of high-quality tourism, one of the biggest challenges for industry is to find suitable staff to provide a level of service that reflects the quality of the accommodation. The local Busselton-Margaret Times recently ran a front page story with the headline "Service with a snarl," acknowledging Busselton’s poor reputation for customer service, particularly in light of the increasing numbers of international tourists visiting.
Fact Box
- The Busselton region is Western Australia’s most popular holiday destination.
- A number of high quality developments have recently been built or proposed for the Busselton area..
- However, the standard of service offered in the region is not consistent with five star resorts.