2014
In April 2014, the world’s media spotlight suddenly turned towards Perth, Western Australia, as the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 shifted to the Indian Ocean. At a distance of 2000-3000km from the search site, Perth is the nearest land to this deep and treacherous part of the vast ocean. To date, there is still no trace of the plane – wreckage or otherwise, and the spotlight on Perth has dimmed somewhat, even as the search continues.
Nevertheless, the awareness for Perth has improved overnight. From my past experience in Perth as a general tourist, this was a rather sleepy city, especially after 5pm. Nothing seems to be really happening in the evening, except for the casino in Burswood. There are many attractions around Perth – Swan Valley, Avon Valley and the Pinnacles in the north, and Margret River in the South – all several hours drive from Perth. These are great for tourists and family vacationers, but not quite suitable for international meetings and incentive groups. There isn’t enough action or places of interest within the city’s immediate vicinity to keep the corporate groups busy and interested.
All this is set to change, and is already changing. Currently under construction is the Elizabeth Quay development. The over AU$2b development, located on the banks of Swan River, will greatly improve hotel room capacity and meetings facilities in Perth. When completed, visitors can expect bustling boardwalks and promenades fringed with shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries within landscaped terraces. An iconic cable car system will link Elizabeth Quay with the scenic Kings Park, which offers a panoramic view of the city.
Even now, the city has become more happening. There are more bars and pubs that operate late into the night, thanks to the Government’s new licensing scheme for small bars. More fine dining and modern Australian restaurants have also opened in Perth and a little down south in Fremantle, giving their counterparts in Sydney and Melbourne a run for their money.
Perth’s proximity to Asia (and sometimes favourable exchange rate), has made it a good destination to consider for corporate meetings and incentive groups.
For more information, please visit: www.pcb.com.au
Perth Comes Alive
23/5/14
Perth, Western Australia, is expecting more hotel rooms, meetings facilities and attractions in the coming years with the Elizabeth Quay development.
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