New CBD focus needed to fill hotel space
The Property Council is calling for a renewed focus on the Perth CBD to help fill Perth’s growing number of new hotel rooms.
The Perth Hotel Development Report by the Tourism Council of WA, released today, found that the stock of new hotels rooms in Perth has increased by 24%, since 2012 with 13 new hotels.
By the end of 2018 a further seven new hotels will come online adding 1421 rooms, adding another 22% to the stock of hotel rooms in Perth.
“The new hotels will provide much-needed world-class hospitality for the city, however, we need to plan carefully to ensure the new hotels and other new infrastructure in the CBD works together,” Property Council WA Executive Director Lino Iacomella said.
“Most of the new hotels are located in the Perth CBD which urgently needs a new strategy to deal with a raft of factors including high office vacancy rates and a subdued retail sector.
” In addition to a state-wide tourist attraction strategy, part of the solution to fill the new hotel rooms is to have a new overall plan to address the many issues in the CBD.
“We need a lot more people living in the city center and we need a broader range of industries to occupy commercial spaces and a better overall CBD retail offer.
“More residents and businesses in the CBD will help sustain our retail and leisure offerings and the resulting vibrancy will also help attract tourists.
“The solution is a unified approach to a new strategy for the CBD by all stakeholders including, the State and inner-city local governments and industry,” Mr Iacomella said.
Media contact: Lino Iacomella | M 0417 1 974 | E [email protected]