Media Statements - Albany is the top tourism town in Western Australia

22/10/00

Tourism Minister Norman Moore has announced that Albany is Western Australia’s top tourism town.

He made the announcement at the Country Tourism Association’s 2000 annual conference and dinner presentation in Albany last night.

Mr Moore said that Albany was one of a record 16 towns which had entered the prestigious GWN Brand WA Top Tourism Town Awards this year.

Albany received a cheque for $35,000 to be used to further develop the region’s growing tourism infrastructure and product.

Northam won a $15,000 GWN airtime marketing package, presented by GWN general manager Doug Edwards.

Mr Moore also presented three commendations, each worth $5000.

These awards went to:

Exmouth, in recognition of their significant progress in achieving a high standard of tourism services and positioning themselves as a true tourist town;
Kalgoorlie-Boulder, for recognising the need to embrace tourism and the unique features of the Goldfields and for implementing a comprehensive action plan; and -
Kununurra, for the professional presentation of their tourism product and for achieving a sound partnership between local government and tour operators.

Mr Moore told guests that tourism was the cornerstone for the development and future of many country towns.

“It provides income to fuel the local economy and support other jobs,” he said.

“It fosters job opportunities and growth and encourages families to remain the region.”

Mr Moore said that tourism in Western Australia already employed one in every 12 Western Australians. Last year, 5500 jobs were created in regional areas.

The State Government was playing its part in helping tourism develop, particularly in the country.

Over the last four years, the Government’s Tourism Development Fund had provided seed capital of $4 million for 94 community-based projects worth with a total value of more than $14 million.

“We need good facilities and good products to encourage visitors to come back to us again and again,” Mr Moore said.

“These partnerships with local communities for us to achieve this.”

Mr Moore said that the most important tourism initiative this year was the new, five-year Partnership 21 strategy to develop tourism in Western Australia.

This strategy aimed to generate more than $5 billion in visitor expenditure for the State by 2004-2005.

The Government had committed an extra $5.54 million to implement the strategy.

It had provided $840,000 for the statewide tourism marketing network.

Mr Moore said that the proposed Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre would also benefit the regions as well as the city.

“Our research indicates that nearly half of international delegates, and one-third of the national delegates also tour country Western Australia,” he said.

Media contact: Hartley Joynt, Minister’s office, 9321 1444