The past few months has been an extremely busy time for TCWA.  We have recently developed a new three year Strategic Plan which outlines six key areas of focus and a new statement of Strategic Intent  -  To be the leading voice driving a sustainable, world class Tourism Industry in WA.  The Strategic Plan was developed by the management and staff of TCWA and endorsed by the Board at its May Board Meeting.

The past few months have seen a large increase in the number of businesses taking up accreditation, bringing the total number of participating businesses in WA to over 770!  Preparations are also in full swing for the 2009 WA Tourism Awards with nominations closing this Friday 26th June - don't miss out on being part of this important tourism industry event. 

I look forward to catching up with many of you at our "End of Financial Year Function" of which details wil be announced shortly!

Tourism Council WA hosted three regional tourism forums during May. CEO Graham Moss and TCWA staff travelled to Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Margaret River, meeting with members and others involved in the Tourism Industry.  All the forums were well attended and many important issues were raised for discussion.

We would like to thank Best Western Hospitality Inn Esperance, Caves House Yallingup , Kalgoorlie Rydges and Budget Rent A Car for assisting us in hosting these Forums.

May has been an exceptionally busy month in Accreditation!  Keeping with our push on consumer advertising, Accreditation ads were placed in the Winter Getaways Brochure as well as the June/July edition of RAC Horizons Magazine.

Accreditation workshops and onsite verification visits were held in Margaret River, Kalgoorlie and Esperance in May and 31 new businesses registered to become Accredited during the month!

We would like to congratulate the following newly accredited businesses for the month of May.
Kimberley Pursuits at Diggers Rest                        Mole End Cottage                    Myhotel                                                                      Perth Zoo

Also congratulations to the following businesses who have received fantastic feedback over the last month.

Broome Sightseeing Tours                   Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre                            Harvey Visitor Centre
Hawke Brook Chalets                          The Kodja Place Visitor Centre                             Kununurra Visitor Centre
Wagoe Beach Quad Bikes                   Waikiki Beach Bed & Breakfast                            Walpole Lodge 

If you require any additional customer survey brochures please contact you local Visitor Centre or the Council

CLOSING DATE FOR NOMINATIONS – Friday, 26th June 2009

“Sir David Brand Young Achiever”
Is there someone in your office or business under the age of 30 who demonstrates an ongoing contribution to the positive image of tourism in WA?  If so, why not encourage them to enter the Sir David Brand Young Achiever Award. Alternatively, you could nominate them for the Award. There is no fee to enter this category!

Qantas Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism
This Award is now in its second year and offers a cash prize of $2000.00 which can be put towards an environmental initiative within your business OR tickets to attend the National Awards. The State winner will then go on to compete at the Australian Tourism Awards to win a cash prize of $25,000 to be used for a sustainability project which is in line with the philosophy of the Award.

For further details on these and other categories, visit the WA Toursim Awards website!

The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, supported by Tourism Australia, is holding a series of free climate change workshops across Australia during June and July to provide the most up-to-date information to the tourism industry.

The workshops will cover the most suitable and cost-effective measures of ensuring that the Australian tourism industry remains well-informed, well-prepared and competitive in the face of climate change.

These practical and hands-on workshops will give you the specific skills and tools that you need to deal with climate change and how you can minimise the impact on your business. The interactive workshop format will provide you the chance to explore case studies of what’s worked and what hasn’t.

In WA the workshop will be held on Tuesday 30th June at the Mercure Hotel, Perth.

These knowledge sharing workshops are free of charge but you must register to attend.  Please follow the link for further information and to register for this workshop.

For the past 3 years, the Stop the Toad Foundation (STTF) has held The Great Toad Muster, an event aimed at removing cane toads heading towards W.A. To date, STTF has removed 130,000 toads with the help of volunteers from all over the world!

The STTF will be running its 4th Great Toad Muster from 12 September to 12 October 2009, operating on the NT side of the WA - NT border.

If you, or anyone you know, are planning on being in the Kimberley in September/October, why not help protect Australia’s native wildlife by being a volunteer at the 2009 Great Toad Muster. All your food, accommodation and travel from Kununurra will be provided by STTF. They will also provide you with training, equipment and the opportunity to meet local wildlife experts.

STTF is recruiting volunteers NOW! To register or for further information, please contact Kim Hands.

FACET will be hosting its 13th Tourism Conference, from 18-21st October 2009, in Mt Magnet.  The conference offers excellent opportunities for delegates to explore new ground & discover innovative ways to build business while immersed in the Australian Outback.

Delegates will have access to a broad range of professionals from key industry and government organisations, award winning tourism operators and international and interstate speakers on topics including Geotourism, Astronomy, Indigenous Culture, Mining Heritage & Nature Based Tourism, Regional Tourism Planning & Community Engagement, Conservation of Natural & Cultural Heritage and Regional Business Issues to name a few.

For more information contact Conference Secretariat Ann Pilkington on 9963 5827 or email kirkalocka@bigpond.com or visit the FACET website

Breakfast with the Premier – Thursday 25th June

Nominations for WA Tourism Awards Close- Friday 26th June

End of Financial Year Function – Thursday 9th July

WA Tourism Awards Final Fever Functions – Tuesday 20th October

WA Tourism Awards Gala Dinner – Saturday 21st November

For further information please visit our website.