Bed Shortage Costing City Big Business
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday April 7, 2004
WOLLONGONG'S bid to become a sought-after conference destination had made progress but the city was still losing business due to a lack of hotel accommodation.
Wollongong Conference and Events chairman Richard Clifford said he was delighted how well the city's tourist operators had come together to support an industry alliance created last year.
Collaboration had been a feature of the alliance but working together for a common cause could only achieve so much without adequate accommodation for the lucrative business tourism market.
Wollongong Image Campaign manager Bod Doyle said it was no secret the city had missed out on opportunities, such as a Clubs NSW conference, because of bed limitations.
But it was important not to throw your hands in the air and say ``bad luck".
The Alliance would pursue its push and hoped others, including developers and regulators, would see the need for appropriate accommodation to support the conferencing, events and tourism industry.
The Novotel Northbeach, a premier business meeting venue with 13 conference rooms, had been the subject of expansion rumours recently but Accor's southern NSW marketing director Kellie Brady said she hadn't heard of any plans to increase the number of rooms by adding two storeys.
Ms Brady couldn't see the owners extending or increasing the size of the hotel when they had already spent $1 million on the product four years ago.
The Wollongong Sportsground Trust also denied rumours of plans to sell the number two sportsground at WIN Stadium for a hotel or residential development.
The Trust was however continuing its effort to include a hotel in a rebuilt western grandstand.
Wollongong Conference and Events sales and marketing director Donna Kessler said the alliance was tracking conferencing and events business in the city and what lost business meant to the city in terms of missed revenue.
Ms Kessler said the information would provide clear evidence to show the significance of missed opportunities and felt the tracking would help build the case for more hotel accommodation.
Mr Clifford was delighted with the way all the tourist operators, including traditional competitors, were working together for the good of the city.
``We have been able to put aside our individual properties and say look if we win this conference, even though I am not involved in it, the city will benefit from it," he said.
Ms Kessler said the collaboration was working very well.
A recent visit to the Australian Incentives and Meetings Exhibition in Melbourne, where the alliance co-exhibited with the Novotel Northbeach, produced some very solid leads.
It proved the city had a lot to offer the corporate market that was looking for new venues that provided alternative options.
Ms Kessler said by working together Wollongong operators could offer a range of experiences.
She said Wollongong Conference and Events had enlisted the help of Paulette Crowder, from business tourism industry project and destination management firm ENCOREbt, to identify ways to add value to conference and events meetings.
It included providing the right kind of accommodation for conference visitors.
``Sometimes when you are dealing with four, five or six different venues there can be a little overlapping unless someone is coordinating the roles," Ms Crowder said.
Coordination was also required for transport arrangements and hospitality desks for the partners of delegates.
Ms Crowder said it was a role the company played in many parts of Australia including the Gold Coast, Port Douglas, Cairns, Olympic Park and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore.
With venues like City Beach Function Centre and Five Islands Brewery she felt the Illawarra had something unique to offer but taking advantage of it had only been made possible by everyone working together to the same end.
``It is now easier for organisations like us to come in and say the infrastructure is there and the people are happy to work together so we can do the job properly," she said.
``The Hunter Valley does it well and now Wollongong is in a position where it can tap into that market very well.
``As a bonus you have got these beautiful beaches and it is easy to walk around."
© 2004 Illawarra Mercury
