Tourism Council WA has welcomed the certainty that today’s border announcement has provided to the tourism industry.
“The announcement means businesses can now win back visitors and retain bookings for events, flights, and tourists,” Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said.
Mr Hall said the 2sqm rule would have a heavy impact on events, tourism and hospitality businesses.
“Events have borne the brunt of border closures and restrictions. Caps on events need to be lifted as soon as possible,” he said.
“The Eastern States are now removing business restrictions and travel testing requirements. WA cannot afford to be more restricted than the East Coast for longer than necessary, or we will lose events, students, workers, and tourists to states with less severe restrictions.”
Mr Hall said the tourism industry would need significant investment from the State Government to win back international and interstate events and holiday bookings.
“For more than two years, border restrictions have devastated Western Australia’s international and interstate tourism business. Many tourism operators have struggled to survive and will need support to recover now that the border is finally open.”
“It will take a long time for tourism businesses to recover and we are calling for a new campaign to encourage Western Australians to keep their existing WA bookings to support local tourism operators,” he said.
