Green light for Westin Hotel development

• City of Perth approves development application

• One of first hotels to be built under State Government's hotel incentive policy

• About 1,900 new rooms needed by 2020 

The State Government has welcomed the City of Perth's decision last night to approve a Westin Hotel development application on the old FESA House and Perth Chest Clinic site in Hay Street, Perth.

Tourism Minister Kim Hames said the development - which includes restaurants, bars, retail and public spaces - will add much-needed hotel rooms to the Perth CBD and help revitalise the eastern end of Murray and Hay streets.

"Demand for hotel rooms in Perth has traditionally been driven by the corporate market but with the city undergoing the biggest transformation in its history, its popularity as a leisure tourism destination will also increase," Dr Hames said.

"These new hotel rooms will cater for that increased demand, create new jobs and help increase the value of tourism to the State's economy through increased visitor spend.

"This exciting project is a great example of a successful cross-government initiative aimed at removing critical barriers to tourism growth in the State."

The 362-room hotel will be developed by BGC Australia and will be operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts under its Westin brand.  Demolition work at the site is almost complete and the approval of the development application means construction can begin.

The Minister said the State Government had a goal for 1,900 hotel rooms to be added to the Perth CBD by 2020.

"Tourism generates around 91,000 jobs and contributed about $8.3 billion to Western Australia's economy.  The State Government has a strategy to see that figure grow to $12 billion by 2020 and new hotel development is critical in reaching that goal," he said.

The Westin Hotel is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

       Fact File

• 10 projects and 1,602 rooms are committed to enter the Perth CBD market between 2015 and 2018

• Hotel developments are considered committed if they are under construction or if the Government is actively involved

• There are a number of additional hotel projects in the pipeline in various stages of planning

• For Perth hotel development updates, visit http://www.tourism.wa.gov.au

Minister's office - 6552 5300