Qatar Airways To Land In Perth Next Week

The inaugural Doha to Perth flight by Qatar Airways will touch down at Perth International Airport on Tuesday. Perth is only the second Australian destination for Qatar Airways, which is the reigning Skytrax Airline of the Year.

Tourism WA and Perth Airport have been involved in discussions with the airline for a number of years about the service. Qatar Airways is currently regarded as the most progressive airline in the world with an aggressive expansion program, and is one of only five airlines in the world given a five-star rating.

It has an international network of more than 110 destinations which will provide WA with a new level of connectivity to the world, and in particular the State's key European tourism markets. The new Doha-Perth service will initially operate three times a week.

West Coast Pirates Fight For a Berth in NRL

THE Western Reds have been officially consigned to the history books and so has any chance of an alliance between the two Perth consortia bidding to enter the NRL in coming years. 

WA Rugby League chief executive John Sackson yesterday announced plans for Perth to push for a place in an expanded premiership as the West Coast Pirates, distancing the city from the Reds moniker it carried during its three-year existence in the 90s.

The Reds were eventually victims of the Super League war but Perth is among the favourites to regain a place in the premiership should the ARL Commission decide to expand in the near future.

A final decision is expected to hinge on the game's next broadcasting deal. While the WARL is ready should Perth gain the thumbs-up, it isn't the only interested party. Perth millionaire Tony Sage, who owns the Perth Glory soccer team, has also announced plans to bid for a licence.

Officials from both consortia recently met to discuss the potential for a united bid but were unable to find any common ground.

"We were interested in what they had to say," Sackson said.
"But . . . there were differences of approach. We felt our model was a better model in terms of nurturing development and promoting grass roots rugby league."

Sackson held a phone hook-up with ARL Commission officials last week and finished that conversation with the impression the broadcasting deal would be completed in late September, whereupon a decision on expansion would be made.

Southeast Queensland is considered the other most likely destination should the game decide to go from 16 teams to 18.

Meanwhile, the frantic few days before the June 30 deadline for player movement continued yesterday when Penrith winger Sandor Earl joined Canberra and Newcastle forward Lisiate Fa'aoso linked with Melbourne for the remainder of the season.

The Sydney Roosters have also brought in ex-Penrith hooker Nafe Seluini as a replacement for Anthony Mitchell, who is joining North Queensland.

And former Roosters winger Sam Perrett will have his first training with Canterbury this morning.

Why WA Is Not On The Tourist Map

Though this state gets only a tiny portion of visitors from China - Australia's fastest-growing and most valuable overseas tourism market - Dr Hames says we do not need to build attractions to complement the natural wonders of the west.

But his views are out of sync with Tourism Council of WA boss Evan Hall, who says Perth is missing out on visitors because it lacks a "signature experience".

Asia-based tour operators interviewed by The Sunday Times at last weekend's Australian Tourism Exchange agreed with Mr Hall, saying WA needed more man-made attractions to compete with east coast destinations.

Dr Hames disagreed, saying: "Tourist operators believe that what they can sell out of WA is beautiful weather, blue skies and beaches, plus our events.

"When we go to tourist operators in China they see WA as the great new place to visit. They had been to the Sydney Opera House and do those things, but after that it was a bit boring.

"What they wanted was something that was new and fresh not just old buildings.
"They wanted swimming with the whale sharks, skydiving over Jurien, fishing for barramundi in the Kimberley."

WA is playing catch-up with the eastern states to attract newly cashed-up Chinese tourists. Tourism Australia believes the China market has the potential to be worth up to $9 billion a year by the end of the decade.

"China is now our fastest-growing and the most valuable overseas tourism market, delivering more than half-a-million-plus visitors and $3.8 billion in spending in 2011," Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said.

But only 3.1 per cent of that money was spent in WA.

Simon Burley, marketing director at Tourism WA, said it was working hard to fix that and was on course to reach 100,000 visitors a year from China by 2016.

Mr Hall has challenged the Government to be more visionary and do more than fall back on WA's natural attractions.

He said it should combine our "unparalleled natural offerings" with man-made attractions.

"You can have a diversity of experiences," he said. "Perth needs an icon, but still has to be set against a beautiful river, with big, blue, clear skies it's that classic image that we are still missing.
"What Perth lacks is a signature experience."

Mr Hall also called on the Government not to delay plans to construct a cable-car link between the new Perth waterfront and Kings Park.

The link remains part of the Barnett Government's waterfront concept, but funding for it was not included in the first $440 million phase of the development.

Dr Hames scoffed at the suggestion the cable car link would attract additional tourists.
"To say a cable car would be iconic that's a bit silly really," he said. "There are cable cars everywhere in the world. That's not going to drag people here to see WA."

Dr Hames said he was open to the idea of theme parks, but believed "our biggest task is to let people know what we have got, rather than chasing to build new things."

WAITING AROUND: German tourists Michaela Raschke and Kathrin Wunderlich love Perth, but say there is little to do in winter when the weather is bad. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow

Film Festival a Revelation

The Revelation Perth International Film Festival is one of the fastest growing film festivals in the country, annually attracting more than 10,000 people and showcasing new, ground-breaking national and international films. 

The 15th annual festival has attracted Hollywood actor, director and screenwriter of contemporary cinema, Crispin Hellion Glover (Back to the Future, Charlie's Angels, The People Vs.Larry Flynt, The Doors), iconic Australian comedienne Judith Lucy as well national and international filmmakers, musicians, screen artists, academics and distributors. The festival will be held from July 5-15, 2012.

Film Festival a Revelation

Preferred Proponent For Albany Waterfront Hotel Named

Albany's waterfront is a step closer to getting a new hotel following the announcement that Hotel Development Group Albany is the preferred proponent to develop and operate a four-star hotel on the Albany Waterfront. 

The site was first released for development two years ago through the Landbank program but with little interest. In October last year the State Government announced a package of incentives to encourage hotel investment around WA. 

The site was then re-released to the market and the project is a step closer to fruition thanks to the collaborative efforts of the City of Albany, the Great Southern Development Commission, Tourism WA, the Albany Chamber of Commerce and the private sector.

Preferred Proponent For Albany Waterfront Hotel Named

Mandurah To Host Australia's Premier Ironman 70.3 Event

Mandurah will become home to Australia's premier Ironman 70.3 event in October thanks to sponsorship through Eventscorp's Regional Events Program, which is funded by Royalties for Regions.

The new Ironman 70.3 Australian Professional Championship (APC) will be the nation's main qualifier for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in the USA and is expected to attract a high quality field. The Mandurah Ironman 70.3 will be the showpiece of the Australian half ironman calendar and as such will be a great event to promote Mandurah, the Peel region and WA to the world.

The Ironman 70.3 series is the fastest growing triathlon series in the world, with more than 35 events held internationally as qualifiers for the World Championships. The Mandurah 70.3 is expected to attract about 1,500 competitors and thousands of visitors to the Peel region. Competitors will race over a 1.9km swim, a 90km cycle and a 21.1km run, incorporating Mandurah's beautiful waterways, foreshore, and city centre.

Fremantle Street Arts Festival Boosts Local Economy

An independent report commissioned by the City of Fremantle has estimated that more than 105,000 people visited Fremantle for the 2012 Fremantle Streets Arts Festival, injecting up to $3.75 million into the local economy. 

The Fremantle Street Arts Festival is Australia's largest annual street arts festival showcasing local, national and international acts including busking, street theatre, comedy, circus and cabaret.