Maylands tourist credentials to be spruiked in high-class hotels

MOVE over Kings Park and Elizabeth Quay, a day in Maylands is set to be a tourism drawcard for interstate and international visitors if a local business association has its way.

Maylands Business Association and the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) will publish the first dedicated Maylands Activity Centre Guide, which will be available in Perth’s major hotels later this month.

The pocket-sized brochure will include a map featuring transport options to access the suburb, as well as a “walkability” map that points out 12 Maylands businesses involved in the project.

Small bars, delicatessens, cafes and giftware, honey, fashion and art stores are divided into precincts on the map – Railway Parade, Whatley Crescent, Eighth Avenue and Guildford Road.

Maylands Business Association chairman Michiel de Ruyter said the 4000 copies printed will tell a little story about each unique business.

Association secretary Catherine Ehrhardt said all retailers were doing it tough as foot traffic had dramatically decreased in the area.

“The difference in the monthly turnover between this time last year and today, it’s abominable, there are businesses that are really, really suffering,” she said.

“We wanted to help bring people to the area and highlight all the great businesses we’ve got.”

Ms Ehrhardt said places like Sydney and Melbourne have maps that highlight certain retail precincts.

“(It’s aimed at) interstate and international visitors who might not necessarily know about Maylands,” she said.

“They always get told about Kings Park and all these wonderful natural beauty sites of WA, but sometimes when you go to another country you want to see what the locals do, how they engage with the local community.”

Ms Ehrhardt said the group wanted to see the brochure evolve over time, to be updated each year and include more businesses.

EMRC chief executive Peter Schneider said Maylands was the first location to trial an activity centre guide in Perth.

“With its proximity to the CBD, range of easy public transport options, growing business and community activity and new business association, Maylands was the perfect location to develop the first activity centre guide for the region,” he said.