WA hospitality hits the restart button
State’s hospitality sector plays critical role in COVID containment
Queensland has finally relaxed its border conditions, Tasmania has followed suit and the Western Australian government, much to the state’s hospitality sector’s relief, has announced borders will reopen on 5 February 2022 albeit with limited restrictions.
Australian Hotels Association WA has welcomed the decision describing the move as one which will deliver certainty for WA’s accommodation hotels and hospitality businesses as they plan for recovery and a return to normality in the year ahead.
AHA(WA) CEO, Bradley Woods said WA has been remarkably successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 and its hotels, bars, pubs, taverns, and restaurants have played a critical role in this success.
“But they have also been significantly disrupted,” Mr Woods said.
“When WA’s border reopens on 5 February we will do so with high levels of vaccination, removing the need for strict measures that disproportionately impact the hospitality industry, such as capacity restrictions and widespread mask wearing requirements.”
“Hospitality businesses and the business events sector across the state can now put in place plans for the return of visitors and tourists, guest and traveller bookings can be made with confidence and the year ahead can be approached with a far greater degree of certainty, which is important for the recovery period ahead.”
Mr Wood said there are sensible obligations on interstate and international travellers regarding their vaccination status, which will allow business and leisure visitation to restart and provide much needed support to accommodation hotels who have been severely disrupted by the pandemic.
“The reopening of the border will help alleviate the dire labour shortages throughout the hospitality industry, while the meetings, conference and events market will welcome the fact that they can plan for the future with a high degree of confidence,” he said.
“We strongly commend the fact that the reopening of WA’s border has not meant the reintroduction of restrictions that disproportionately impact the hospitality industry – this approach will help support tens of thousands of jobs.
“WA’s hotels and hospitality venues are well prepared for the inevitable arrival of COVID-19 into the community – venues have taken their responsibility to the community seriously over the past two years and this vigilance will only increase when the virus does arrive.”
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
