Baffsky: Sydney dropped the ball with tourism
David Baffsky, honorary chairman of Accor Asia Pacific, has accused state governments in New South Wales of “sitting on their hands and destroying tourism business to Sydneyâ€.
Baffksy’s comments came during an on-stage interview at the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Hotel Industry Conference (AZPHIC) in Sydney.
Baffsky said it was “a tragedy that governments had left the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre to languish to the point it is todayâ€, while rival cities such as Melbourne had been building their business tourism infrastructure.
Baffsky’s comments were made in the context of applauding the approach of the Singapore Tourism Board to tourism investment.
“Singapore is an outstanding example of creating opportunities for the tourism sector and then letting the market decide how and when it takes up those opportunities,†he said.
Baffsky said the Singapore Tourism Board had a broad understanding of the multipliers resulting from investment in tourism.
“First provide the opportunities, then allow the market to take them up,†he said.
Footnote: NSW has established Destination NSW as the state government’s new statutory tourism and events authority which has a target of doubling expenditure by tourists in New South Wales.
Sandra Chipchase, CEO of the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been appointed CEO of Destination NSW.
Ian Jarrett
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