Approvals for proposed attractions can be streamlined to create new, diverse experiences, which would make Perth an exciting destination with unique activities for everyone, according to the tourism industry peak body.
This morning, Tourism Council WA unveiled 16 proposed new attractions and experiences within Perth which would encourage visitors to stay longer. It is estimated the new attractions would result in an additional $165 million spent by visitors in WA, generating 1,116 full-time equivalent jobs.
Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said the new attractions did not require taxpayer funding, but they did require approvals by multiple government agencies. New attraction proposals typically met the highest environmental and safety standards, but they often struggled to survive costly and time-consuming approval processes.
"The proposed new experiences announced today are supported by the people of Perth, with an average 87% of Perth residents supportive or neutral to the 16 proposed attractions," Mr Hall said.
"Regulatory agencies should take into account broad community support for these attractions, and the jobs they will create, when assessing proposed new attractions."
Only 13% of international visitors to Perth visited an attraction during their trip, which is the lowest of any major Australian city.
"It has been more than 25 years since Perth has welcomed a new major attraction. In the meantime, other states have created amazing experiences that are loved by locals and attract visitors from around the world," Mr Hall said.
When facilitated by Government, new attractions can be quickly progressed through multiple approval authorities.
"New experiences have been approved on Rottnest Island, which has the highest standards of environmental protection. These new experiences have been strongly supported by the Rottnest Island Authority and are helping to drive increased visitors to the island," Mr Hall said.
Tourism Council WA is recommending the State Government prioritise and streamline approvals for private investment in new attractions and upgrades to existing attractions.
Facilitating new attractions and experiences is a key component of the State Government's Two-Year Action Plan for Tourism. The State Government's new Market-Led Proposals Policy and Streamline WA initiative can assist streamline approvals for new attractions.
"A whole-of-government approach should be taken for facilitating approvals, including considering broad public support," Mr Hall said.
The 16 proposed new attractions are:
- Perth Cable Car
- Wave Park by the Swan River
- Resort Deck on the Swan River
- Thermal Baths by the Swan River
- Thermal Baths on Rottnest Island
- Ropes Course and Zipline on Rottnest Island
- Stadium Roof Climb
- Swan River Zipline
- Stadium Footbridge Climb
- Helicopter Tours from a Swan River Helipad
- BBQ Buoys on the Swan River
- Experiential Eco-Accommodation by the Swan River
- Perth Abseil
- Ropes Course in Kings Park
- Experiential Eco-Accommodation in Kings Park
- Seaplane Tours from the Swan River
Click here to view Tourism Council WA's New Attractions for Perth document.
