LOCAL small business operator Robert Alver is seriously considering reloc-ating his business to Queens-land after failing to raise the initial capital required to develop the Travel Australia board game.
Mr Alver said he set up a website to gauge market interest and based on the response to the website, no further marketing activities have been undertaken because the response was so positive.
Despite this feedback from the website and from research that Mr Alver and his wife undertook, they’ve failed to raise the $50,000 in WA needed to launch the game.
“The Queensland Govern-ment is looking seriously at it to fund it through the State Development Department. The new government there is very pro-business,” Mr Alver said.
“Queensland has the resorts and the buildings and they’ve got to fill them but there’s no reason why we couldn’t get that investment in Perth and then that money stays here.”
“For a product developed here to relocate to Queensland is disappointing to me,” Mr Alver said.
Travel Games Australia was set up by Ernst &Young to develop an idea for a board game with an Australian theme designed by Mr Alver and his wife to help travellers learn about Australia.
Mr Alver said the game was designed to be simple to use for all age groups and the overseas market – the prototype game even includes a set of instructions in Japanese.
Sponsors from tourism businesses around Australia, including Budget Campervan Hire, Greyhound Pioneer and the Indian Pacific have agreed to endorse the product through having their logos on the board.
Despite the setbacks, Mr Alver is determined to continue until funding is found for the venture even it if does mean relocation in the Eastern States.
“We’ve got Travel New Zealand, Travel US and Travel Canada which will follow this game – this is a concept that will sell and it’s adaptable to every country in the world,” Mr Alver said.
