More hotels across Wyndham could be on the horizon as the council seeks to capitalise on Avalon Airport starting international services.
Wyndham council’s tourism and major events portfolio holder, John Gibbons, said the region has worked hard in recent years to position itself as an events capital, playing host to events such as the State Rose and Garden Show, the Fromage a Trois Cheese Festival, Park Lounge, Point Cook Lunar New Year Festival, the Wyndham Art Prize and Werribee’s pop-up park.
Next up will be the annual Winter Street Festival on June 29, which will encourage locals to come out of hibernation and enjoy the best Werribee’s CBD has to offer, including a big inflatable installation at Station Place.
Construction of Avalon’s international terminal has officially begun, with the project receiving $20 million in the federal budget.
“With Air Asia coming in [to Avalon Airport], the sky’s the limit for Werribee,” Cr Gibbons said.
As reported by Star Weekly, the InterContinental Hotels Group PLC will open a 150-room Holiday Inn as part of the council’s 12-storey catalyst development slated for a parcel of land on the corner of Synnot Street and Duncans Road.
But Cr Gibbons believes Wyndham will “need a few more hotels” to accommodate the expected boost in tourism that the international terminal is likely to provide. He said the council was also advocating for state funding to add a K Road interchange along the Princes Freeway.
“We want people to stay here rather than jump on a bus and go all the way to the city. We’re open for business, we’re an events city.”
The council’s economic growth and visitor economy strategy stated that visitation growth to the area has almost doubled (up 98 per cent) in the Wyndham municipality between 2008 and 2016, with 46 per cent of visitors coming to Wyndham to see friends and relatives.
