Western Australian families enjoying school holiday travel and hospitality would face further cost of living pressures if the State Government’s proposed Easter Saturday public holiday was adopted.
Tourism Council WA has made a submission to the WA Public Holiday Review based on a recent survey of WA tourism operators including regional and metropolitan accommodation, event, venue, retail and hospitality businesses.
The survey found 76 per cent of respondents would be forced to increase rates to cover the inflated costs of operating if Easter Saturday became a public holiday, or would close their business during the Easter long weekend to avoid the penalties.
Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said WA tourism businesses were reluctant to raise rates but would have little choice, as an Easter Saturday public holiday would generate no additional revenue while staffing costs increased.
“Tourism Council WA estimated that a family of four undertaking a daytrip activity or event on an Easter Saturday public holiday would pay an additional $65, or an additional $204 for an Easter long-weekend trip,” Mr Hall said.
Mr Hall said a Saturday public holiday did not provide additional time off for most Western Australians who did not usually work on Saturday but would raise prices for families.
“A public holiday on Easter Saturday would not increase tourism, as WA families are already travelling for the school holidays and tourism businesses and regions are at capacity during this time,” he said.
The survey also revealed 56 per cent of respondents were supportive of additional public holidays on a Monday outside of school holidays to provide WA families time off to travel during a non-peak period at lower prices.
In its submission to the WA Public Holiday Review, Tourism Council WA has recommended any additional public holiday fall between August and early September, outside school holidays, to minimise costs for WA families while maintaining favourable conditions for visiting northern and southern regions and attending Perth events.
