6 April 2009

Brendan's quest to funnel your money to tourism operators continues

| johnboy
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Brendan Smyth has many admirable qualities.

But numbered amongst them is not his constant support for taking taxpayer’s money and giving it to the large businesses that own hotels and operate other tourism infrastructure.

Today he’s shrieking again for what he sees as previous damage to be reversed and more money to flow.

Tourism operators are businesses Brendan. Businesses can pay for their own promotion. If they’re really keen on collective action they can contribute their own money for common promotional activities.

Now here’s a question… Does the tourism sector really want to be seen as being championed by a prominent Liberal when Labor is preparing a cost cutting budget?

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Brendan Smyth, oh I remember him! He of championing a cause seemingly out of nowhere since no one has heard a peep from him ina while. Can someone please tell Jeremy Hanson that one of his colleagues got to the fax machine again!!!

farnarkler said :

imhotep did you look at the glossy Tasmania advertising magazine in today’s Canberra Times? This is the kind of thing Canberra needs to produce to include in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers.

I agree, something low budget would be good. In reality we don’t have any world wonders that people want to take a 20 hour flight to see, taste or do. The best we can hope for are tourists from melbourne, sydney or here on business.

amarooresident29:07 am 07 Apr 09

farnarkler said :

imhotep did you look at the glossy Tasmania advertising magazine in today’s Canberra Times? This is the kind of thing Canberra needs to produce to include in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers.

They do. Canberra Tourism produces one quarterly that goes into regional newspapers and I think Sydney as well as the CT. It’s actually quite impressive.

farnarkler said :

(farmarkler)”imhothttp: did you look at the glossy Tasmania advertising magazine in today’s Canberra Times? This is the kind of thing Canberra needs to produce to include in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers.”

(whispers in very small font) …no-one here is supposed to read the Crimes!

However, if there was such a thing in today’s issue (not that I saw it of course), then I believe that kind of promotion is a worthwhile investment for a city with lots to offer but a negative image.

imhotep did you look at the glossy Tasmania advertising magazine in today’s Canberra Times? This is the kind of thing Canberra needs to produce to include in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers.

jakez said :

(jakez) “Sometimes I have fantasies about taking a copy of Hayek’s Road to Serfdom and belting Smyth over the head with it.
…then again, I have that fantasy about a lot of people.”

Now that’s kinky. None of my fantasies involve Brendan Smyth. But I think he does have a point. Most major cities (and many minor cities) recognize the importance and potential reward of self-promotion, and fund it. And Canberra, though a great city, does have an image problem to overcome.

‘Tourism operators’ aren’t just Rydges and Cockington Green. Most are just small businesses. You can hardly expect a suburban gift shop or motel to fund a media campaign in Sydney or Melbourne.

You are right there. My mother works part time at the visitors centres and she said there is a real gap in the market for cheap hotels in Canberra. Another Formule 1 type place in the inner South might be of use.

amarooresident24:25 pm 06 Apr 09

Should also add that I had a group of friends come from Sydney last weekend and they had a great deal of trouble finding cheap to mid range priced hotel rooms. I understand that this is a common problem on most weekends

amarooresident24:22 pm 06 Apr 09

The Government pays more than enough to support the tourism industry in the ACT, and I am hard pressed to think of any other industry that receives as much support from the taxpayer, except maybe housing construction.

The problem has always been that the major hotels in this town are lazy – they have a guaranteed income because this is the seat of Government and don’t feel the need to go out of their way to promote the town.

Having said that, I’ve always felt that the Federal Government could do more in terms of promoting the national institutions.

Sometimes I have fantasies about taking a copy of Hayek’s Road to Serfdom and belting Smyth over the head with it.

…then again, I have that fantasy about a lot of people.

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