Statement from Andrew Hiebl, Executive Director of AACB
The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux would be extremely disappointed if the announcement made by Western Australia’s State Treasurer resulted in an extreme 28% funding decrease for the Perth Convention Bureau.
As the mining boom settles with the transition to production, tourism has been identified as one of the five ‘next waves’ as described by Deloitte (Positioning for prosperity? Catching the next wave. 2013). While it is commonly known that visitation generated by the business events sector is high yielding, it is the outcomes of meeting relating to global expertise, collaboration, innovation, productivity, trade and investment that Western Australia will miss out on with this decision.
However, we do understand that the Perth Convention Bureau is still in negotiation with the State Government and call on Treasurer Nahan to resolve this shortfall and at the very least maintain current funding levels. Such a decrease would diminish the PCB’s capacity to bid for and win new international and national business for the state which would see Western Australia miss out on the opportunity to truly leverage from this industry.
-ENDS-
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