Business boost for Western Australia
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Trade and business links between Qatar
and Western Australia are poised to strengthen following high-level talks between airline and regional government officials on the back of newly-launched flights by Qatar Airways to Perth.
Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker held meetings with the Premier of Western Australia, Honourable Colin Barnett and president of the State’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) John Atkins to discuss new trade, business and investment opportunities.
Perth is Australia’s fourth largest city and contains the bulk of Western Australia’s population with 2.4 million people living in and around the city. Its economy has been growing rapidly over the past few years, driven by Western Australia’s mining boom and associated industries.
Al Baker also expressed interest in expanding the airline’s hospitality business to Perth. Acknowledging a shortage of hotel rooms in the city – only 4,000 – Al Baker said Perth offered great potential and the airline’s Oryx-branded five-star hotel division, of which there is so far only one property in Doha, would be a good fit for Australia. A second Oryx hotel is currently under construction in Doha.
He said Qatar Airways was already preparing to increase passenger capacity to Perth with additional flights introduced in December to make it a daily.
