WA will host a record 84 Eventscorp-sponsored events next year, including Australia’s richest golf tournament and an international action sports festival.
Tourism minister Kim Hames estimated the events will generate more than 100,000 interstate and international visitors and will deliver more than $221 million to the state.
Dr Hames said the Perth International Golf Championship, which offers US$2 million in prize money, would attract some of the world’s best golfers.
“Perth has a strong history of hosting successful international golf events, notably the Heineken Classic, Johnnie Walker Classic and the Lexus Cup, and this tournament will well and truly put the city back on the golfing map,” he said.
“The Perth International is a joint initiative of Eventscorp and International Management Group (IMG) to bring another major international golf event to Perth.
“IMG will be the owner and promoter of the tournament, which will be sanctioned by the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.
“The European Tour is currently experiencing unprecedented success and boasts the top four ranked golf players in world.”
This will be the only tournament in Australia to be sanctioned by the European Tour.
The Perth International will be played at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club.
The three-day Action Sports Games Mandurah will be headlined by a round of the International Waterski and Wakeboard Foundation World Cup, which regional development minister Brendan Grylls said was a great example of world-class events being held in regional WA.
The games will be sponsored by the Royalties for Regions program, which Mr Grylls said is also supporting a record 44 smaller regional events for 2012.
Dr Hames said WA was starting to see the rewards of the State Government’s $36.7 million investment in events, and the number of events was expected to reach triple figures by the end of next year.
