Where is Perth’s next “Tourism Hotspot”?

It was just over a year ago that Tourism Australia launched its $40 million campaign “There’s Nothing like Australia” highlighting the country’s world-class coastal experiences and showcasing Rottnest Island to a global audience of millions.

The WA focus of the campaign on Rottnest Island has been a springboard for visitors to explore more of the State, including Hillarys Boat Harbour, which is the perfect gateway to Rottnest from Perth’s northern suburbs.

Some people are surprised to hear that Hillarys Boat Harbour, featuring Rottnest Fast Ferries and AQWA – the Aquarium of Western Australia, is located within the City of Joondalup.

In fact the City of Joondalup is the retail and entertainment hub of Perth’s Sunset Coast region and has a lot to offer for visitors and residents alike.

With 17kms of pristine coastline, Joondalup Resort, Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City - WA’s largest shopping centre and the City’s extensive cultural program, there are many reasons why Joondalup has the tourism edge.

Tourism infrastructure plays a key role in the growth of Joondalup. The visitor economy has always been recognised as a high value strategic sector contributing to the growth in local jobs and business.

Astute investors and industry experts all know that several exciting key tourism infrastructure projects are set to transform the cultural and economic vibrancy of Joondalup.

The City is working with the State Government, through Landcorp, to progress the Ocean Reef Marina project which will provide a world class recreational, residential, boating and tourism marina development for all Western Australians.

This project will further position the City of Joondalup as a major tourist hub for the State and is expected to generate about 5,000 direct jobs during the construction phase alone.  A further 1,000 jobs are expected to be generated once the marina is completed. The current concept plan includes family leisure and recreation amenities, commercial and retail opportunities, short-stay accommodation, as well as 900 residential units.

The proposed Joondalup Performing Arts and Cultural Facility will be the most significant piece of arts and cultural infrastructure to be built outside of the Perth CBD in the last decade. It will drive greater economic development opportunity, strengthening Joondalup’s position as the Capital of the North.

 The $100 million project, which includes an 850-seat main auditorium of international standard, as well as conference and exhibition spaces, will reinforce the Joondalup City Centre as the creative and educational centre of the northern corridor, attracting many visitors from outside the region. It is expected to create more than 600 jobs during construction, as well as more than 40 full-time employees per year after opening.

The Beach Kiosks and Cafes projects are also contributing to a promising future for Joondalup’s visitor economy, with new developments planned for Pinnaroo Point, Hillarys and at Burns Beach

There is compelling evidence that the City of Joondalup is well placed to build its visitor economy. Joondalup tourism and hospitality contributed about $1.29 billion to the State’s economy in 2014/15[1], which is greater than the City of Fremantle’s contribution and almost 8% of the total WA Tourism value – not bad for one local government area.

The City has long recognised the importance of international relations, having had a Sister City relationship with Jinan, in the People’s Republic of China, since September 2004. The City has strategic memberships in place with Tourism Council WA and Experience Perth to broaden its tourism activity to international markets.

The City has the competitive advantage of having leading education institutions established in the heart of Joondalup City Centre offering Hospitality Management and Tourism qualifications, worldwide tourism research expertise and dedicated infrastructure to welcome international students.

The City of Joondalup is now seen as a first-class conference destination for Western Australia. Many local stakeholders have invested in recent years in state-of-the-art conferencing and function venues around the City that appeal to a wide array of WA and interstate clientele.

Tourism success doesn’t just happen by accident. It is a strategic and deliberate process that not only requires planning of significant infrastructure and delivery of high-quality cultural events but also a dedicated local government that is willing and able to drive its delivery. Joondalup definitely has the tourism edge.

To explore opportunities in the City of Joondalup for yourself, visit www.joondalup.wa.gov.au

[1] Data source: National Economics (NIEIR) – Modelled series – Total tourism and hospitality sales City of Joondalup, 2014/15