The Australian Hotels Association (WA) has welcomed the WA Government’s Safe Transition Plan, which will result in hospitality and function facilities being able to operate at full capacity over the busy summer period, whilst laying the groundwork for a safe reopening of interstate and international borders.
AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods said all efforts must now be focused on getting the state’s vaccination rate to 80 and 90 per cent to implement the transition plan.
“Today’s plan will see interstate and international borders opened as quickly and as safely as possible, while ensuring our hotels, bars, pubs, taverns and restaurants can operate without restrictions over the important summer period,” Mr Woods said.
“For Perth’s accommodation and conference event facilities, the proposed opening of our borders in late January or early February is close to industry predictions and the plan enables this important sector of our economy to start devising their recovery.”
“In WA’s fight against COVID-19, we are now in the final stretch and if we manage to pull off the soft landing that the plan seeks to achieve, it will be globally unprecedented.”
“Western Australians want to have a Christmas and New Year enjoying the same freedoms we have had through much of the pandemic and the plan allows for this.”
“The onus is now on those who are yet to be vaccinated to get the jab and help get the job done for WA.”
“Maintaining full venues over Christmas will help preserve not only out enviable way of life, but the tens of thousands of jobs that rely on a strong hospitality industry.”
