Armed with stronger funding for Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) this year, along with new tourism products and softening hotel room rates across the city as a result of Western Australia’s mining and energy industry downturn, bureau CEO Paul Beeson said “the stars are aligned” for the destination to intensify its courtship of corporate incentives, particularly from South-east Asia.
In an interview with TTGmice e-Weekly on Monday morning, Beeson explained that the focus of the bureau had “really been association conferences” since its establishment in 1974.
Perth city skyline
He said: “Ninety per cent of our remit for the past 40 years has been on not-for-profit organisations (and their) conferences. Corporate incentive groups account for only 10 per cent of our remit.
“(But) with the amount of accommodation coming up over the last two years, the range of leisure products we now have, our proximity to South-east Asia and the wonderful air links we have with the region, we’ve decided to change our strategy towards corporate incentives, particularly out of South-east Asia.”
Beeson aims to grow the share of corporate incentives to total business events in Perth from 10 per cent in 2016 to 40 per cent in four years’ time.
He believes Perth’s offerings are perfect for the South-east Asian markets, as travellers from the region appreciate a safe environment which they can explore at ease, abundant nature and easy access to varied landscapes available across Western Australia.
Besides the newly opened six-star, 500-key Crown Towers Perth, Beeson pointed to the work-in-progress Elizabeth Quay and Perth City Link as new districts which will house even more accommodation options including The Ritz-Carlton Perth which will offer 204 luxury suites, recreational facilities, as well as varied leisure options and event venues.
Other new products that he thinks will add value to corporate incentives bound for Perth are luxury barges on Swan River that can be used for exclusive events and “countless” new restaurants.
PCB will assign internal business development staff to handle South-east Asian markets, having recently ceased its contract with an external agency based in Singapore that used to cover Singapore and Malaysia.
