Labor's pre-election tourism pledge has left the state's peak industry body wanting, at a time it says many Western Australian business owners are on their knees.Premier Mark McGowan says the industry needs to "talk itself up" moreThe WA Tourism Council has called on both Labor and the Liberals to commit $50 million towards a support package for at-risk tourism businesses badly hit by COVID-19.
"Many local tourism businesses are in dire straits from the recent lockdowns and need ongoing support to be able to continue, and it is imperative that they survive so that Western Australia can attract visitors when travel restrictions ease."WA Labor today announced a $217 million plan to increase tourism offerings and support the sector through COVID-19, which would include $50 million towards an Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
"The tourism industry is absolutely delighted with the election commitment from the Premier to kick-start an Aboriginal Cultural Centre," he said.Did you know we offer a local version of the ABC News homepage? Watch below to see how you can set yours, and get more WA stories.
There’s the liberal party we all remember. They were just hiding behind COVID and being the tough guy on borders.
This is what Labor does destroy economies & people’s lives now they want a Federal handout whilst denigrating the Liberals deficit during the pandemic.
No hope... I am a WA native but not risking heading over. My money will go elsewhere
This guy is clueless. 1 case and effectively the state locked up. He won't compensate those living there let alone those who get trapped. Unless it's nsws it's a risk and even then your home state is likely to lock you out
So McGowan now following Qld in putting their hands out for a cash grab for tourism..... Dig into you own pockets, Premiers YOU are responsible for the hardship for these operators. And you don't think we the tourist lost money out of this?
Business isn’t like politics. Bullshit doesn’t pay the bills mate
Has McGowan ever had a business? He supports developers but gives nothing to small business? His advice to small business is out of touch
McGowan caused the problem, he should pay.
Idiot
Domestic tourism skewered by premiers locking down entire states rather than local hotspots. Rentseekers chasing cash rather than root causes.
How?
People would travel if they knew that they wouldn’t find themselves out in the middle of the desert on the wrong side of a hastily closed border. Might take years to regain their trust. auspol2021
WA taxpayers already gives WA Tourism Commission $140 million a year. Theres only 2 million of us here
Thats what happens when ya ban fishing
How is the bloke popular. Only an asshole would say something like that.
McClown reaps what he sows
Yeah no, Stay in NSW where we don’t get locked down randomly
He WILL NOT be getting one $ our our Holidays spend, didn’t want us when the Covid heat was, so stuff him when it’s all clear 👍👍 What’s there to see anyway, some Quokkas 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Is this a piss take? He is saying it’s not my fault WA tourism has gone to shit it’s WA tourism fault for not talking themselves up enough.
Surely this is a piss take ? Is he saying it’s not my fault
Haha, bit hard for them to talk it up. All tourists are too scared to come here as they are concerned he will shut the borders shut with no warning and no reason.
Nah bugger them they voted for this wenk
Flog
Talk itself up just in time for Stalin over there to, on a whim, lock everything down.
WA tourism says please visit. McGowan says if your from an alien state your not welcome.
WA Tourism down $4.3B in 12 months. with the majority ($2.6 B ) domestic. That’s the impact of closed borders!. Margaret River being full isn’t offsetting Perth (the overwhelming tourism/hospitality centre) being decimated by closed borders. That’s on you MarkMcGowanMP
Why would anyone in their right mind book anything except absolutely essential travel to WA? Mark has made it an impossibility to travel to WA with any certainty
Did I read this right? The CEO of the Tourism Council WA states the case on behalf of tourism operators and the Premier fobs it off and basically says he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. 🤦🏻♀️
Why would anyone risk 4-5 hours on a flight to Perth if they could randomly find themselves in quarantine for 14 days?
MarkMcGowanMP wouldn't want 'his' surplus to go on Tourism advertising.
Well if I could get into the State I would! I live in an area that has been covid free for 4.5 months, yet I still can't go!
Cancelled our Indian Pacific trip due to depart 17th March. This was delayed from May last year. Lost our deposit. Will rebook in future but on the Ghan - greater certainty in case of sniffles.
It would be easier for WA tourism if MarkMcGowanMP didn’t keep closing the borders! It appears that the Labor premiers do not realise that their handling of lockdowns & borders have a direct impact on their states tourist $, maybe more intelligence required?
You're the one who shut everyone out, you peanut.
Geez he has been closing at every chance. You can’t cry now over what has occurred because of his own decisions
The useless idiot, McGowan, shuts the state off from the rest of Australia, then wants the Federal program “jobkeeper” to be extended for WA businesses. I hope it is not extended - this arrogant tool can use some of the $3.1 billion budget surplus instead !!
He doesn’t care about small businesses
Maybe he should realise having the boaders closed for most of the year may have something to do with it.
Oh I see it’s actually the industry’s fault for not talking itself up otherwise they wouldn’t be struggling. Amazing how spin and hype are the magic wand and favourite go to for politicians
Just today I was discussing this with a workmate. I have an $850 credit with Qantas I need to use but I literally cannot go anywhere to the East Coast because Mark McClown will slam shut the borders and leave me stranded over so much as someone getting a case of the sniffles.
Stop closing state borders. One Australia.
Another Labour premier to heavy handed with lockdowns and borders now looking for friends...Is it a coincidence the 3 states who have handled the best and don’t have their hand out are Liberal?
This is the same bloke who has been telling the rest of Australia to fuck off for the last year and closing borders at the drop of a hat to people mid flight? You'd have to be farking nuts to roll the dice on booking WA as a destination
WA tourism needs to connect with the recreational fishing industry - its world class ... speak to scottywiper from WesternAngler magazine.
... and cut its prices.
Maybe if the summer days were longer people could enjoy it. Surely the curtains wont get too faded
Stop closing your border for a couple of cases of people already in isolation and maybe then people will think about booking a trip.
Why would anyone risk going to WA when trigger happy McGowan could put you in quarantine at any moment?
Bahahahahah, can't go to WA b/c you keep closing up
Come see the dirt
To risky planning a WA trip this year, perhaps next year.
These Premiers are unashamed fools. Keep borders closed, slam them shut based on 1 case, create uncertainty & fear of travel. And now he says tourism should talk itself up. What an utter knob auspol wapol