Praise for Victoria’s outgoing Tourism Minister Martin Pakula
Minister the first to recognise need for industry support during pandemic
Accommodation Association President, Leanne Harwood has thanked outgoing Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sports and Major Events, the Hon. Martin Pakula for his tireless efforts in backing hotels, motels and accommodation providers throughout the pandemic.
The Minister, she said, was the first to recognise the pressing need to provide ongoing support to accommodation providers, and remained an outspoken advocate for the industry within both the State and Federal Governments as COVID continued to impact the sector.
As a result, Minister Pakula was able to deploy a wide range of economic measures to support Victorian accommodation businesses.
“Martin was the first to recognise the pressing need to provide ongoing support to accommodation providers, backing our members throughout the pandemic and championing our vital role in the economic recovery of Victoria and Australia,” Ms Harwood said.
“I know for a fact there are hotels in this state who would not have survived COVID-19 if it wasn’t for his unwavering advocacy on their behalf across multiple levels of government.
“We look forward to forging a strong working relationship with the new Tourism Minister, working together to build on the legacy of Minister Pakula in recognising and supporting the lucrative contributions our members make in accelerating the economic recovery of our state and nation.”
National General Manager, Advocacy and Public Policy, Bassel Tallal thanked the outgoing minister for taking the time to liaise with the industry ensuring Victorian businesses could keep the lights on, doors open and Victorians in jobs.
He also praised the Minister’s part in deploying a number of initiatives including the Victorian Travel Voucher scheme that encouraged hundreds of thousands of Victorians to get out and support local businesses.
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.
