Coronavirus crisis: Tourism Council chief Evan Hall says there’s no reason for West Aussies not to plan ahead for a holiday in State’s north

Metropolitan residents should try booking ahead for northern holidays in WA despite a lack of clarity on when they will be able to travel there, according to the peak tourism association body. The call from Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall came as the McGowan Government announced a $14.4 million recovery and rescue package for hundreds of businesses in the sector. General travel will be allowed within the Perth-Peel, South West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt regions from next Monday but not from those areas to anywhere else. Southern residents may be able to travel further north and east come mid-June but Mark McGowan urged patience they hold off on booking winter holidays outside their zone ahead of further border relaxations. “I’d just urge everyone to wait until such time as we make a final decision on these things,” he said. “Clearly the new arrangement will come in on Monday, after that we will review it. “It’s only weeks away, I’d urge people to be patient.” Mr Hall said he did not see any reason for West Australians not to start planning for northern holidays from June onwards. “Certainly contact a local tourism business direct,” he said. “They might well offer you a very flexible booking so if you can’t come and travel they will postpone the booking for a later date.” Mr Hall welcomed a new grants scheme offering $10.4 million worth of $6500 offerings for 1600 accredited tourism businesses to help re-start their operations. He said the $4 million worth of grants, limited in value to between $25,000 and $100,000, for businesses hardest hit by government restrictions would have a focus on the state’s “iconic experiences”. The Premier said the scheme would also benefit areas which had suffered the most. “Particularly those in the north, in the Kimberley and the Goldfields, because we know it has been very difficult for them and we don’t have line of sight yet when they can reopen,” Mr McGowan said. Nationals WA leader Mia Davies said it was concerned some businesses would still fall through the gaps as not all tourism operations were accredited. Australia’s North West Tourism chief executive Natasha Mahar said while “mum and dad-type” businesses in the Kimberley would be helped the most, it would do little to help those with higher operational costs. Ms Mahar said it was still essential for the Kimberley borders to open up to an intrastate market in time for some semblance of a tourist period. “Currently over 80 per cent of tourism operators in the Kimberley region are in favour of lifting restrictions,” she said. Ms Mahar also pointed to the move by the Northern Territory Government to have Federal biosecurity borders dropped by June 5 for remote community travel as a something which should be replicated in the Kimberley. A McGowan Government spokeswoman said if the Federal Government suggested restrictions could be eased sooner than it would follow through with that advice. “The Commonwealth Biosecurity Act restrictions are currently in place and are expected to remain until June 18,” she said.