3/01/06The Gallop Government will invest $140,000 to upgrade telephone systems at 18 visitor centres throughout the State, Tourism Minister Mark McGowan announced today.Mr McGowan said the grants - ranging from about $4,000 to $11,000 - would allow visitor centres to install new phone systems with features such as automatic call answering, messages on hold and headsets.“The new technology will take visitor centres to a new level of professionalism,” he said.Many visitor centres juggle front counter duties with managing incoming phone inquiries for holiday information and bookings.“The new phone technology will provide better customer service and satisfaction, particularly in dealing with the volume of calls,” the Minister said. “The message on hold facility is a particularly useful marketing tool which will help promote local tourism operators and attractions.“It also prevents calls being lost when staff are busy helping visitors at the counter.”Mr McGowan said it was important that visitor centres were able to operate in a professional manner, as they were the front line for the tourism industry throughout Western Australia.“Tourism employs more than 70,000 in WA and the State Government wants to grow the industry to create more jobs and opportunities for locals,” he said.The Minister said the grants were part of the Gallop Government's $3.7million commitment to support WA visitor centres - made available through the highly successful Regional Investment Fund.
Visitor centres from all five tourism regions have received funding:
Australia's South-West
Augusta Margaret River
Bridgetown - Greenbushes
Bunbury
Busselton
Dunsborough
Walpole
Albany
Australia's Coral Coast
Carnarvon
Denham Monkey Mia
Geraldton
Kalbarri
Australia's North-West
Karratha
Derby
Broome
Australia's Golden Outback
Kalgoorlie
Norseman
Experience Perth
Chittering
Dwellingup
Minister's office: 9222 9111 
