Western Australia’s capital is really experiencing a boom, with the city enjoying a flow-on effect from the heavy resources activity that is reportedly driving up hotel rates, fuelling real estate growth and keeping retailers on the hop.
At least that’s the reports east coast Australian residents are getting. The once sleepy city is capturing more business than ever before, thanks in part to a refocused and reenergised convention bureau (which now has international representation), a state-of-the-art convention centre and, as mentioned above, a buoyant resources sector.
The wins keep coming in the conference sector. Most recently Perth won the right to host the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists’ (ASCEPT) National Conference for 2011.
Traditionally held in Melbourne or Sydney, Perth last hosted the conference in 1992.
The conference runs over four days and will attract more than 300 delegates with a significant number of these being students. Delegates are expected to inject $450,000 into the state’s economy.
The Perth Convention Bureau worked closely with local host, Dr Lynette Fernandes, senior pharmacology lecturer at the University of Western Australia, to secure the conference for Perth.
The bureau has also been undergoing some new and innovative marketing strategies to further boost interest (and growth) in the destination, including the “WAy ahead for value” campaign aimed at attracting business to Perth in the traditionally softer months of June and July.
At the AIME exhibition in Melbourne earlier this year the Perth Convention Bureau ran a competition to promote this campaign, with Conference Call Australia’s Keone Sinnott winning the $10,000 prize. PCB’s director of marketing, Anne Last, said the ‘WAy Ahead’ competition had been successful in drawing attention to the value-added offers available to meeting planners during June and July.
“More and more meeting planners are now aware that Perth and Western Australia offer great value for conference and incentive groups during those off-peak months,” Ms Last said.
“We expect to generate some excellent business as a result of this on-going campaign.”
The package includes a letter of welcome from the Lord Mayor of Perth, booklets with details about Perth and its attractions, maps of the city and its surrounds and a pillow gift, all presented in a colourful tote bag.
The pillow gift is a locally produced pair of cotton socks with a black swan logo. The black swan – indigenous to Western Australia - is the state’s fauna emblem.
Former Perth Convention Bureau business development manager, Marina McKeague, said the welcome package had been a successful marketing tool to convert business in the past.
“Last year the suspension of our Operation Welcome Mat program adversely impacted on our sales results so the decision was taken to re-instate an upgraded welcome package this year,” she said.
“We recognise that providing a welcome incentive can often be the difference in securing groups against competing destinations, so it was an easy decision to re-instate the program.”
Ms McKeague and the PCB’s convention services manager, Katie Lim, undertook a whistlestop tour of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore earlier this year to promote the welcome package to corporate buyers and agents.
“We aim to create a uniquely Western Australian point of difference to add value to the bid process and enhance our prospects of securing the business.”
Marina McKeague has taken up a business events position within the Office of the Agent General for Western Australia, based in London. She has been replaced by Ebaney Johnson who was previously sales and marketing manager of Joondalup Resort.
There have also been other staff changes at the PCB including its sales team which has been bolstered by the appointment of Paul Beeson and Caitlin Craig, taking up new positions.
Mr Beeson joins the PCB as director of business development while Ms Craig joins as business development manager.
Gareth Martin also recently joined the PCB as a director of business development, filling a 12 month vacancy created when Luana McDermott started maternity leave in December. Mr Martin has a background in the pharmaceutical/medical industry globally.
At last count there was something like $1 billion being planned in construction, which will boost beds by in excess of 7000. Broome is a definite hot spot with the coastal resort-style town having more than 10 projects in the works.
Another is Mandurah, about one hour south of Perth. There are three projects worth more than $100 million in Mandurah including Seashells Resort Mandurah.
Seashells Resort Mandurah boasts an enviable coastal position and has been designed to take advantage of its spectacular beachfront location. The property offers a choice of one, two and three bedroom fully self-contained apartments, penthouses and luxury beach villas, with most featuring panoramic views of the ocean or marina.
Architecturally designed with a north-facing aspect to benefit from the winter sun, each apartment has its own balcony. Furnishings are modern with touches of luxury such as granite and marble, warm woods and thick wool carpets. All apartments feature a fully appointed kitchen and laundry, spacious lounge and dining areas, bath spas, television, in-house movies, internet access, air-conditioning and much more.
The property offers two conference rooms, the largest of which can seat up to 150 delegates theatre-style. The Ward Room is described as a state-of-the-art conference venue with sweeping views over Comet Bay and the resort’s pool and barbecue area. Specialised window treatments have been installed that will ensure you can take advantage of the magnificent view and natural light or darken the room for audio/visual presentations.
The Tuckfield Room is also described as state-of-the-art. Modern audio visual equipment and a separate breakout area are a feature. The room can be set up to individual specification for both corporate and leisure requirements.
Another property in the Seashells Hospitality Group is the Seashells Resort Yallingup, about three hours south of Melbourne in the stunning Margaret River area of Western Australia.
This great property is also home to the historic and now fully restored Caves House. Originally known as Yallingup Caves Accommodation House, the South West’s iconic Caves House was originally opened in 1905, after construction commenced in 1903. After two fires, in 1930 and 1933, it was rebuilt as it stands today, and opened again in 1938. Since then, it has remained a regional landmark, perched majestically above its lush sprawling lawns and heritage-listed gardens.
Since its acquisition of Caves House, Seashells Hospitality Group has lovingly restored the historic building, while maintaining the grandeur and 1930s deco elegance that the house is so well renowned for.
Eight one and two bedroom suites are located within the house itself and the first stage of the Seashells Resort Yallingup site expansion is now open - offering accommodation separate to Caves House, with 36 new one and two bedroom apartments.
Back in and around Perth there are also plenty of great options to choose from for conference groups.
The Burswood Entertainment Complex continues to be not only one of Western Australia’s but Australia’s star performers in the accommodation, gaming and entertainment sectors. With its hotels, casino, concert showroom, night club, restaurants and golf course it has long been a popular conference and incentive venue. The venue has spent millions of dollars in recent years upgrading and expanding the resort’s accommodation, meeting and recreational facilities.
Among other launches was that of The Astral which Burswood is calling one of the most technically advanced venues in the country. It has 15 custom-made, retractable chandeliers.
Despite some early hiccups the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre (PCEC) is another venue popular for both meetings and special events. It has seen a steady growth in business year-on-year. The three-level venue is Western Australia’s only purpose-built convention, exhibition and meeting venue, and has six exhibition pavilions, a 2500-seat tiered auditorium and 23 meeting rooms.
For something a little bit different, and to get a real taste of the good life available in Perth it’s hard to go past The Old Brewery, just a short distance from the centre of the city.
The stunning waterside site of the Old Swan Brewery has been transformed into an award-winning restaurant which offers some great spaces for groups. There’s an excellent alfresco dining area on the river’s edge while inside there’s the elegant Thomas Hardwick Room, which is described as being perfect for functions of all shapes and sizes.
In other venue news, the owner of the four-star Esplanade Hotel Fremantle has purchased the majority of apartments at the Pagoda Hotel in South Perth. Built in 1998 the Pagoda has 101 rooms, a pool, two restaurants, bar and conference facilities.
Managing director and proprietor, Marylyn New says the Pagoda Hotel offers an opportunity to expand the company’s existing business into apartment style accommodation.
“Our guests have for sometime requested this type of accommodation in a location close to Perth in order that they may experience both destinations while staying within the same hotel group,” she said.
Q. You are describing the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle as Western Australia’s first carbon neutral hotel.
A. The environment is an issue I hold close to my heart, and I have not only implemented changes at the hotel over a number of years but also in my everyday life. It has been a 10 year journey that has had the hotel focusing on recycling, reducing water use, using environmentally friendly products, energy management and solar hot water heating. An audit of our remaining carbon tonnage was done which enabled us to see how much we needed to offset our footprint to be carbon neutral. I came across Rainforest Rescue and thought this was an organisation making a difference not just in Australia, but around the world. Rainforest Rescue focus on countries which do not have the support or financial backing to protect their natural surroundings. Based on our footprint, Rainforest Rescue calculated how many hectares we needed to be declared carbon neutral. As a result we secured 9.6ha, and this amount offsets our remaining emissions. I chose the rainforest in Ecuador to support an overseas forest in need of saving – to lend our support abroad.
Q. How difficult was it to achieve this?
A. This journey has been a long one for the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle, not just something we decided on one day. So for us it was not too difficult. Ten years ago we had taken steps to reduce our carbon footprint. It is a matter of working out your carbon emissions which is done by an external audit business, then finding an organisation you wish to support and work with to ensure your monetary contributions are going towards planting new trees or securing existing forestry whether it be within Australia or overseas. As for other businesses becoming carbon neutral, it does take time and commitment to make changes – being a sustainable business, but owners and managers need to put this issue at the top of their priority list. Climate change presents a growing number of pressing global challenges. If it’s achievable for a hotel, other business owners can do the same – there is really no excuse.
Q. What has the reaction been from your patrons/customers?
A. We have had nothing but positive feedback from not only our guests, but other industry partners. We are leading the way in making an impact, and fighting climate change. Leisure guests, conferences and events come to the hotel because we have taken steps to do something positive towards the environment. We also encourage our guests to provide ideas on becoming more global friendly and we do take all these quite seriously; and evidently guests enjoy giving feedback on what we have done already, with many comments and suggestions coming through daily.
Q. Do you have any future plans in this area?
A. We are researching and implementing new green-measures all the time, as the more we can do, the less tonnage in our next audit. We have recently concentrated on our water consumption, and reviewing further measures on how to reduce our use.
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