While most of us on the east coast have viewed Perth historically as an isolated hub on the other side of the continent, WA Tourism in lockstep with the state government has been pedalling furiously to change the unwanted global perception that its tourism allure is too far out of the way for most travellers.
Perth has been flexing its muscles in recent years as a result of this perspiration, from attracting more air connectivity from blue chip carriers, launching glossy new tourism campaigns, and landing a string of impressive events.
The fruits of the latter were on full display this week as 800 delegates descended on the state for the very first World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Summit held in Australia.
Plenty of the chatter on stage has been about WA positioning itself as the ‘gateway’ to Australia, with Perth located geographically more closely to big tourism hubs in Asia than anywhere on the east coast. This makes the WA capital a suitable entry point for international visitors keen on exploring the country, and a useful launching pad for Aussies who have designs on exploring the state before jetting off to popular destinations such as Malaysia, India, Vietnam or South Africa.
WTTC President & CEO, Julia Simpson, went even further when she opened proceedings this week.
“Perth is more than a gateway to Australia, it’s a beacon for the future of travel and tourism,” she beamed.
“This city has shown us what is possible when we invest in connectivity, embrace technology, and empower communities. Here, travel and tourism is not just a sector – it’s a resource that keeps giving, generating opportunities and economic freedom.”
One of the major announcements made at the summit included WTTC’s launch of Together in Travel, an initiative aimed at providing more support and resources to SMEs within the global travel and tourism sector.
Through a free-to-subscribe platform, members will have access to networking opportunities and education programs among other benefits, before next year introducing additional paid subscriber streams boasting enhanced features.
WTTC was motivated to assist smaller businesses following recent data gathered which suggests up to 80% of the travel and tourism sector comprises of SMEs.
Matthew Upchurch, Vice Chair of Membership at WTTC and Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso took to the stage to formally announce the initiative, declaring the launch marked a “significant milestone” in WTTC’s mission to advocate for the interests of SMEs and drive positive change through meaningful engagement and support.
“As the travel sector continues to navigate the challenges brought about by the global pandemic, initiatives like this are essential in building a more resilient and sustainable future for all stakeholders involved,” he said.
Meanwhile, key themes during the conference included the need for governments to embrace new ways to take the friction points out of travel, from visa reform strategies to the integration of AI at airports and on planes to incentive greater mobility and few bottlenecks.
Sustainability was also called out as a major frontier to tackle, with travellers – younger generations in particular – predicted to factor their carbon footprint more in the booking process. Promoting and protecting Indigenous communities was also flagged as a key area for collaboration.
A new report from WTTC revealed that Oceania’s travel and tourism sector could inject an additional US$112 billion to the region’s economy by 2034, bringing the total global contribution to a record-breaking US$336 billion.
By the end of this year, the sector in Oceania is forecast to grow by 16.5% above pre-pandemic levels to reach US$224 billion, while employment is tipped to exceed pre-pandemic figures by 4.8%, employing 2.3 million people.
However, it wasn’t all bright spots, with international visitor spending projected to remain 4% below 2019 levels, with a full recovery not expected until 2025.
In further news this week, Qantas was formally ordered to pay $100 million in fines over the selling of so-called ‘ghost flights’, in addition to the $20 million penalty it was slapped with back in May.
The carrier had previously admitted to exercising poor sales practices, and now insists that system changes made will ensure the ghost flights will be a scourge of the past.
While we’re on the topic of aviation, the Sydney Airport Demand Management Bill was introduced into Federal Parliament this week, which will include measures such as penalising airlines for “hoarding” slots and the introduction of an independent body to report to the government on slot compliance.
ATIA CEO Dean Long praised the legislation.
“The introduction of reforms to the slot management system at Sydney Airport is a positive step forward, and they are very welcome,” he said.
“They complement other reforms that have been announced, which range from better monitoring of airline performance and pricing through to enhanced outcomes for travellers with disabilities.”
In tourism news, NSW revealed a reinvigorated visitor strategy, which detailed the lofty goal of attracting an annual visitor expenditure of $91 billion by 2035.
The state will no doubt be pinning much of its future success on the huge influx of travellers predicted to flow through the upcoming Western Sydney International airport, which will operate 24 hours a day and likely attract a host of new international carriers to the Harbour City.
In a big win for CVFR Travel Group, its Airline Rep Services division has snared the contract to represent Solomon Airlines in Australia.
The company will now handle marketing, sales and support services for the Pacific Island carrier, which currently flies into Brisbane.
And finally, the Globus family of Brands revealed plans to roll out a new trade portal for travel agents later in the year.
Key advantages for advisors include greater user support, a more intuitive interface, and the ability to generate and share personalised itinerary links with clients in a bid to bolster finalised sales and boost commissions earnings.
That’s the way it was this week in travel. Have a restful weekend and stay tuned in to Travel Daily and Cruise Weekly next week for all of the latest developments.
