Shout out for new tourism board

The call is out for people to put their hand up as board members for a new tourism body to represent Albany and the Great Southern.

There have long been calls for more representation and leadership of the tourism industry in Albany to ensure the region capitalises on its tourist assets.

In recent months, Australia’s South West chairman Cameron Syme has been pushing ahead with negotiations to set up such a representative body, and the project is steaming ahead.

“The train has left the station, this thing is happening, people need to get on board with this and grab the opportunity,” Mr Syme said.

Late last month, it was suggested the tourism body could be worth millions to Albany’s economy.

The group — currently called the Discover Albany Foundation — has been recognised as a charity by the Australian Taxation office, allowing it to receive corporate gifts.

Whale World is likely to be gifted to the tourism group by the Jaycees Foundation as a primary source of revenue next year.

It has previously been revealed that The Forts, Anzac Interpretive Centre and Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk could also eventually become sources of revenue for the group.

Mr Syme said his ultimate goal was to have the body represent the tourism interests of the broader Great Southern region and if all regional stakeholders came on board, the name of the group would be changed to be more reflective of the region.

However, he said the next step in setting up the body was to find local people interested in sitting on the board.

“There are already a couple of people on there, who have got very good reputations, knowledge and experience,” he said.

“We are looking for a couple of people that stand out from the crowd, people who can assist in helping building and then growing this organisation.”

Former Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Graham Harvey, who has long called for a body like the one Mr Syme is setting up, said he would be happy to sit on the board.

“I will be supportive in any way that I can,” he said.

“If there was a position on the board and I was invited to participate, I would be happy to be involved.”

Mr Harvey said there were at least six people in the region with academic qualifications in tourism management that would be valuable board acquisitions.