Sydney Morning Herald confirms Global Travel Media Perth costs article
One of the challenges about writing articles for an internet based news is that other than the numbers of views of an article and the odd comment, you very often never really know what readers think.
This all changed last week as a result of an article I wrote recently http://www.eglobaltravelmedia.com.au/2-headline-news/perth-and-western-australias-incredibly-high-costs-dilemma.html about what I felt to be the astronomic cost of hotel accommodation, beer in pubs and pub and restaurant meals in Perth, to which the response has been just amazing.
While the statutory tourism organisations like Tourism WA and Tourism Australia have been very quiet indeed, probably pursuing a “do not engage” policy, the response from consumer media and consumers, residents and visitors to Perth has been incredible and overwhelmingly in agreement with what I said.
I have also been interviewed on all major TV channels in WA, several local WA radio stations, the West Australian newspaper kicking it all off, running a number of features including http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/southwest/a/-/news/14129209/avoid-wa-says-travel-website, then in response, http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/14156644/tourist-operators-defend-prices and http://l.yimg.com/ea/doc/-/120706/gen07costofstuffp11_17vdbge-17vdbgg.pdf, which surely has to confirm this is a very big issue for Perth and WA.
Even in this last weekend’s Sydney Morning Herald, thousands of kms away from Perth, the content of my article and what I said was confirmed by Courtney Trenwith in her article http://www.smh.com.au/wa-news/perth-hotel-rates-rise-again-20120706-21m03.html, with the header, “Perth hotel rates rise again”.
Ms Trenwith kicks off her article saying, “The combination of high prices and low availability was good for hoteliers but is squeezing out leisure tourists”, adding, “The average Perth hotel price has increased even further to nearly $210 per night – $45 more than the national average.” And that is the average, right from the bottom to the top, with one hotel claiming rack rate of over $1,000 this week on wotif!
Now while the vast majority of the respondents to my article have been in full agreement with what I said, others including Tourism Council of WA have tried the spin doctor approach, saying I am wrong and all is fine in Perth and WA.
Tourism Council of WA CEO Evan Hall told The West Australian, “Observations it was more expensive to holiday in Perth were untrue”, claiming that the official consumer price index statistics say that domestic travel in Perth was 6 per cent cheaper than Brisbane and 11 per cent cheaper than in Sydney. At the same time, rather to the contrary, he called for “schemes to allow more hospitality workers into WA, in a bid to reduce costs for tourism operators”. Mr Hall, I suggest you run a confidential, mystery shopper poll of your hotel, bar, pub and restaurant members to get some accurate and up to date information as I did…….and you will be shocked!
Of course though, we have to remember that Tourism Council of WA is a member based and funded organisations of over 1,000 industry operators, so we could hardly expect anything else from Mr Hall, or he may have incurred the wrath of his members aka they will take their membership money elsewhere!
Australian Hotels Association WA CEO avoided the Perth costs issue in The West Australian, saying value for money could still be found in WA, with the average room rate in the Golden Outback $120, $156.33 in the South West and $150.31 on the Coral Coast, adding “In the regions, average room rates are competitive with what tourists would find elsewhere”. What about Perth Mr Woods, that’s where we are talking about and also other areas affected by the resources boom? Oh by the way the Australian Hotels Association is also member based and funded organisation.
Me thinks they both have vested interests!
Well guys, well done for trying your best though, but I am afraid, all this further confirms I am right and you are wrong!
Clearly there is a great deal of what some charmingly call dynamic pricing , aka in my terms, “charging as much as you possibly can, when you can”, or “making hay while the sun shines”, translating into “ripping as much cash out of customers as possible”, going on in Perth and some areas of WA, while the mining and resources boom is happening, but this has to be bad for tourism right now and will ultimately have a catastrophic effect on Perth and WA when the mining and resources boom is over.
Industry Insider Commentary and Opinion by John Alwyn-Jones, Global Travel Media Special Correspondent
It’s dissapinting to see the false claims, allegations and personal attacks in this story from Mr John Alwyn-Jones. In particualr the claim of ” I am right and you are wrong!” reveals a lot about the writer.
Contrary to the fasle claim us, the AHA WA did in fact comment on the average room rates in Perth. Our press rlease ( http://www.ahawa.asn.au/images/ahawa—aiphikeivu.pdf ) specificiallty said:
AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods said the latest ABS data on average hotel room rates
shows a diverse industry in Western Australia with average rates steady in the
metropolitan area, and competitive rates in the regions.
“In the March 2012 quarter the average price of a hotel room in Perth is $209.33 per
night, an increase of less than $2 from the December 2011 quarter,” said Mr Woods.
“In the regions average room rates are competitive with what tourists would find
elsewhere.
Mr Alwyn-Jones might next time choose to check his facts and give an opportunity to respond to his criticism. In particular I refer to the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics and the 1st statement within the code:
1. Report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts. Do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis. Do your utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply.
However given Mr Alwyn-Jones claim that “all this further confirms I am right and you are wrong!” I doubt logic and facts are of relevence.
Hi Bradley
I am sorry that I am nearly as slow as you responding to my Industry Insider and Commentary articles on 6 and 9 July, to which you did not respond until 16 July.
In any case, none of my claims, or I prefer to call comments, as they are my views as a specialist in the industry, were false at all and neither were they personal attacks on anyone – you are an officer of a public and industry membership organisation, so how can my comments be personal?
Yes, my comments are disappointing, but not for the reasons you claim as theyare facts, supported by the very many reponses I have received in full agreement with what I said.
What they do is sadly reflect the price gouging still going on in Perth in particular, much of it perpetrated by members of the AHA in WA.
May I suggest you read the Delloite Access Economics report out today that gives the industry in Perth around another two years to continue this reprehensible practice.
I read your press release with interest, by the way it did nto refer at all to why you sent it out and interestingly you did not send it to me – I wonder why not?
All good stuff, but it refers to average room rates which actually mean very little.
Do you have any stats on average room rates by hotel sector in Perth – say serviced apartments, budget hotels, hostels, motels, 2*, 3*, 4*, 5*hotels, etc? I suspect not and I reckon you would not want them revealed for obvious reasons.
Do you also have the same stats year on year say over the last three or four years?
If you can prove to me through verified independent stats that the rates have not increase dramatically, I will accept the argument and will publicly withdraw what I wrote.
How’s that for a challenge and you can then be proved right and I can be proved wrong!
So Bradley, while you had every opportunity to respond but took a week to do so, I did check my facts and did on the ground research around hotels, apartments, pubs, bars, restaurants and more in Perth and reported what I found – simple!
With the greatest respect to you – don’t you love it when somebody says that – I do not need to be reminded by you about the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics and the 1st statement within the code:
Report and interpret honestly – which I did, you just did not like what I said, hence your comments;
Striving for accuracy – which I did, with what I said accurate and your stats not;
Fairness and disclosure of all essential facts – which I did with your averages clouding a critical issue for tourism in WA, which is what you did not like;
Do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis – I reported the facts as my research found them. I have no vested interest in this issue, except fair bang for the buck for tourists, but hang on, you do have a vested interest as you members pay your salary – interesting!
Do your utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply – which I did as there is a great big “comment” button that you could have clicked on at any time, but took seven days to do so, and also you could have emailed me or called me at any time, as all my contact details are on the site, but did not do so – even more interesting!
While we are speaking of codes of conduct and ethics, may I remind of the AHA’s or at least what is described as AHA’s commitment to the industry, lifted from your web site;
Vision
As the authoritative voice for the hospitality industry in Western Australia, the AHA will inspire innovation, unity and industry excellence.
Purpose
To protect and develop our members interests, to achieve new levels of success and excellence and maintain the vital role of the hospitality industry as an integral part of the Australian way of life.
Mission
With passion, teamwork and commitment we will provide representation, advice, research, education, negotiation, lobbying, IR advice and advocacy, corporate and member events and meetings and commercial benefits.
Our Values
Knowledge
• Excellence
• Teamwork & Unity
• Integrity & Accountability
• Strength & Courage
• Fun & Passion
• Vision
• Commitment
• Leadership
• Simplicity
Key Objectives
• To maintain high standards of service and conduct in the liquor, hospitality, catering and entertainment industries;
• To promote and protect the rights and interests of licensed hoteliers, taverners and such other licensees as may
be engaged in the retail liquor trade;
• To watch all proceedings in State and Federal Parliament and act as necessary;
• Otherwise assist, represent and act on behalf of the members; and
• Engage in commercial activities that are in the members interests.
You see Bradley the reason I have lifted these is that nowhere does this refer to your member’s customers or come to that I do not see the word’s ethics and honesty or even consumers!
It is all about your members, now doesn’t that tell our readers a great deal about where your loyalties lie and your response?
Sorry, Bradley nothing you have said would convince anyone , except perhaps those of your members and others charging these astronomic prices in Perth, that you are right and I am wrong, with logic and facts in full support and absolutely relevant!