Tourism—Staff—Las Vegas conference
615. Hon Neil Thomson to the minister representing the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the overseas travel expenses of two Western Australian public servants reported in the tabled paper for three months ended 30 September 2024, for Messrs Johnson and Forbes from the former Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation to the Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas during 10 to 16 August last year, held at Bellagio Resort and Casino, Aria Resort and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Vdara Hotel and Spa.
(1) Why was it necessary for one staff member to travel for 14 days, and the other for 10 days for what was a four-day conference?
(2) Why was it necessary to send two staff members on a Vegas trip at a cost of $32,000?
(3) What activities were conducted prior to and after the conference?
(4) At what premises did the two staff members stay for the duration of the trip?
(5) Has a report been submitted to government, and if so, when and by whom?
(6) Can a copy of the report be tabled?
(7) If a report has not been completed, why not?
The President: Honourable member, before I give the call to the minister, that question seems to me to not meet the definition of concise, but I will ask the minister if he is able to provide an answer.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn: Thank you, President. Given your comments about the lack of conciseness about the question, I can advise in advance that the answer is not concise either, so I apologise in advance.
The President: For which there is a different standing order and I will respond to later.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn replied:
Thank you, President. I just make the point in advance. I only just saw the answer myself.
The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister for Tourism.
(1) Ms Forbes travelled from 9 to 18 August 2024 and Ms Johnson travelled from 9 to 20 August 2024, which represented travel time, attending Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas followed by meetings with Tourism Western Australia's United States market representation team, MMGY Wagstaff in Los Angeles, along with key LA-based media and trade partners, and Singapore Airlines. Following the work commitments, Ms Johnson took two days personal time off over a weekend. Ms Forbes returned to Perth.
(2) The USA is a priority market for Western Australia and Virtuoso is the leading luxury travel consortia in the USA. Travel Week is the flagship event. Ms Forbes and Ms Johnson's attendance facilitated discussions with senior management from Virtuoso, along with undertaking 40 meetings with luxury travel advisers as well as with the above-mentioned significant travel and aviation partners. The cost of the trip includes registration fees for the Virtuoso Travel Week event.
(3) Prior to attending the conference, Tourism WA in partnership with Business Events Perth had submitted a bid to host the 2025 Virtuoso Forum AUNZ. The event was held in Perth from 25 to 26 February 2025 and attracted over 200 attendees, including Virtuoso owners and managers, partners, media and senior vice presidents. Tourism WA's partnership with Virtuoso has continued with other key trade events such as ILTM Asia. There has been ongoing engagement with trade partners, travel advisers and Singapore Airlines, including cooperative marketing campaigns.
(4) In Las Vegas, the staff members stayed at one of the venues hosting the conference. In Los Angeles, the staff members stayed at Hotel Ziggy West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
(5)–(7) A requirement for a report was not identified in the travel proposal approval.
The President: It is standing order 106, for reference.
