Trump remains a no-show in Australian tourism
Property tycoon Donald Trump’s outrider, Todd Wynee-Parry visited Australia sizing up opportunities in 2013.
A few headlines, but it never looked likely there would be any investment.
“I think [the Gold Coast] needs to rethink its development strategy and designate some proper resort sites," he advised at the time.
"The Gold Coast is a gorgeous beach with no world class resorts actually on the beach," saying Queensland needed to lift its game if it hopes to attract more premium tourism.
Mr Wynne-Parry was speaking at the Tourism & Transport Forum’s 2013 Outlook Conference in Sydney where the Trump group gave fleeting interest to developing a prestige hotel and apartment Trump Tower at Sydney’s Barangaroo.
But Australian gambling tycoon James Packer had a near monopoly on that ambition.
"You're not a global hotel company unless you're in Sydney," Wynne-Parry suggested.
"There is room for another luxury hotel and we would love to be a part of Barangaroo or anything that gives us a decent shot at 150-200 rooms with some residential and good connectivity to the CBD. Maybe (we could get) concessions from the government in terms of a tax holiday or something and an enhanced GFA (gross floor area)."
Also speaking to the Tourism and Transport Forum at the Sydney Hilton via video link, Trump's daughter Ivanka -- the Trump Hotel Collection executive vice president of development and acquisitions -- said the company wanted a "very big" piece of the Australian market.
"I just wanted to reiterate how important Australia is to us strategically as we grow the Trump Hotel Collections around the globe," she said.
"There are many great cities . . . for our hotel collection and we are very excited about making our presence felt in Australia in a very big way."
Trump International's then senior vice-president for global hotel development and acquisitions, Todd Wynee-Parry departed the empire in mid-2014 when he became senior vice president development at Commune Hotels & Resorts.
From October 2000 until 2006, he was in the TOGA Group to head up the growth of its hotel mamagement division.
"Todd was responsible for significant growth of the business and was directly responsible for the identification and securing of many new management opportunities," Alan Vidor said adding he was "tenanciaous, commercially astute, driven and extremely hard working."
