Emirates-owned Wolgan Valley Resort has insisted that it will “not be backing down” after admitting it was still struggling to attract international visitors.
General manager Joost Heymeijer confirmed that the two and a half year old resort, in which Emirates invested $132 million, would struggle to achieve a 15% share of international visitors by the end of the financial year. It should be hitting levels between 40% and 45%, he said.
“The dollar is having a massive impact,” Heymeijer said at a function in Sydney yesterday.
Originally, the resort was budgeting for 70% of guests to be international but such a business plan was written at a time when the Australian dollar was 65 cents to the US dollar.
The vast majority of guests come largely from the Sydney region but the resort is feeling additional pressure as higher numbers of Australians head overseas on the back of the exchange rate.
However, Heymeijer stressed that the resort would not be cutting back its all-inclusive offering to cut costs.
“We will keep adding and providing value,” he promised. “We are only just coming into our own.”
The resort claims to contribute $7 million a year to the economy and is committed to sourcing staff from local areas and maintaining its 100% carbon neutral credentials.
Australia is the second most profitable sector in the Emirates network, Heymeijer said.
