Hotel giant's plan to set up reservations centre in Perth welcomed

23/11/95

Thousands of travellers across Asia will soon be making free telephone calls to Perth to arrange hotel bookings anywhere in the world.

No matter where they are in Asia, they will be able to phone directly to Perth where a staff of multi-lingual operators will be able to arrange and confirm reservations almost instantaneously through an international computer network.

"It is an important communications success for Australia and a pointer to Western Australia's growing strength as a business service centre for the Asian region," Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said today.

He was commenting on the announcement by the hotel giant, ACCOR Asia Pacific, that it had selected Perth to establish its new international reservations centre.

"When travellers in, say, Singapore, dial a special 008 number they will be linked instantly - and free-of-charge - with the Perth switchboard where they will be connected to an operator speaking the appropriate language," Mr Cowan said.

"The connection will be made so quickly that users probably will not realise they are making an overseas call."

Mr Cowan said although the technology was impressive, the development would never have come about unless ACCOR had been persuaded of the benefits of establishing the centre in Perth.

ACCOR Asia Pacific is the largest hotel chain in the Pacific, with 19 hotels in WA - the largest number in the State.

"Originally the company was intending to open the centre in Asia, but we persuaded them Perth would provide the most economic and efficient site," Mr Cowan said.

"The approach to ACCOR was made jointly between Telstra and WA's Department of Commerce and Trade.

"Both Telstra and the department are in the business of attracting new investment and - in the case of the department - marketing WA as a service centre for the region."

Mr Cowan said ACCOR had realised that WA provided a unique gateway to Asia.  Unlike other parts of Australia, the State shared the same international time zone as many of the most important centres of Asia.

"Combine that with the fact that Telstra's international communications centre in Perth can provide the most advanced and economic communications service in the region and you have got a very powerful argument for establishing businesses like ACCOR here."

Mr Cowan said ACCOR's presence would also enhance WA's reputation in the tourism industry and create new jobs for those seeking work in tourism.

Media contact:  Peter Jackson 222 9595