THE Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes has beaten five other bids to host the 2010 Annual Visitor Servicing Conference next October.

Shire President Brian Moore said the fact that Bridgetown-Greenbushes was able to beat five other bids, including one from the large urban centre of Bunbury, spoke volumes for the quality of the submission put together by centre manager Barbara Johnson, her staff and representatives of the local tourism industry.

“The potential benefits that hosting the conference will bring to our local economy are immense, both in terms of direct benefits from delegates attending the conference and also for the long-term marketing and promotion of Bridgetown-Greenbushes as a tourism destination,” Cr Moore said.

Some 100 delegates are expected to attend the conference with an additional 50 people expected to attend the “Top Tourism Town” dinner held at the conclusion of the conference.

“Delegates will include a range of tourism and media people, who will hopefully leave the conference keen to promote the natural beauty of our area and encourage more people to holiday here, all of which benefits our local economy,” Cr Moore said.

“It is important to note that the hosting ‘town’ is Bridgetown-Greenbushes - Greenbushes as well as Bridgetown has an important role to play in promoting tourism, and delegates will be visiting there during the conference as well as other parts of our district to discover the diverse values it offers for tourists and visitors.”

Although the conference is 12 months away, Cr Moore encouraged all of the community to support the event.

Bridgetown-Gereenbushes Visitor Centre manager Barbara Johnson sees the conference as a boon for the shire.

“The staff and I were absolutely delighted when we got the news last Tuesday.

“Our submission beat five other towns, including towns the size of Bunbury, so we feel this will help to enhance the image of Bridgetown-Greenbushes and establish us very firmly on the tourist map.”