❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the impact of major events like UFC 284 on WA's tourism sector and the McGowan government's initiatives to support the industry. The Minister's answer highlights the economic benefits and promotional efforts.
AnsweredQoN 6Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM
— MAJOR EVENTS
6. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the McGowan
Labor government's commitment to building Western Australia's
tourism industry. Can the minister
outline to the house what world-class major events, such as the recent UFC 284,
mean for Western Australia's tourism sector and the local
economy, and can the minister update the house on other initiatives underway to
support WA's tourism industry?
— MAJOR EVENTS
6. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the McGowan
Labor government's commitment to building Western Australia's
tourism industry. Can the minister
outline to the house what world-class major events, such as the recent UFC 284,
mean for Western Australia's tourism sector and the local
economy, and can the minister update the house on other initiatives underway to
support WA's tourism industry?
AnswerView source ↗
I would like to thank the member for the question because the
member knows that tourism is an incredibly important industry that represented
around $12 billion in annual turnover and employed roughly 100 000 people prior
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting the tourism industry back on its feet is an
incredibly important part of ensuring that our economy remains resilient. Now,
more than ever before, we are in a globally competitive tourism market as all
governments and companies around the world seek a global share of the
re-emerging tourism market. We need to act quickly and we need to act
decisively, and that is exactly what the McGowan government has done. We have
one of the greatest environments in the world—one of the greatest
pieces of tourism product in the world—and we are moving heaven and
earth to make sure that the rest of the world knows all about that.
As many members would be aware, the centre of the
entertainment and sporting world over the weekend was not Phoenix, it was
Perth, Western Australia, as we hosted UFC 284, which returned to Australia for
the first time in a thousand days. It set all sorts of records. We had over 6 000
people turn out to watch the weigh-in alone on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, 14 124
people were at a sold-out RAC Arena for the main event. Around 9 000 of those
14 000 people—almost 70 per cent—travelled from outside Western
Australia to enjoy this event. It was the highest grossing arena event in Australian
history, with almost $6 million worth of tickets sold. But that is not all: the
event was beamed around the world to millions of people across 172 countries.
If there was any doubt about how extraordinary WA is, Logan Paul—we all
now know who Logan Paul is!—reinforced it to his 25 million Instagram
viewers, with a quokka selfie to rival Roger Federer's holiday snap
when he was here.
But there was more happening over
the weekend. We had the opening of the Perth Festival on Friday night with the
spectacular Seven Sisters and Djoondal at Joondalup. The Laneway
Festival took over Wellington Square, while
Fringe World kept crowds throughout the city enthralled. We had the West
Australian Ballet launch its season at the Quarry Amphitheatre, and
Perth Glory played at home. We had the Australian Sprintcar Championship at
Perth Motorplex in God's own earth of Kwinana, as well as superstar
acts right across the weekend—Sting had two sold-out nights in Kings
Park, while 50 000 people were at Optus Stadium for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
It was not just about Perth over
the weekend. Of course, we also went to the member for Vasse's city of
Busselton for the Busselton Jetty Swim, which the members for Mirrabooka,
Warren–Blackwood, Scarborough and I were ambitious enough to attempt.
The member for Albany was a late scratching! Although we were delighted to see
the member for Vasse at the start line, disappointingly she was not in her
bathers this year.
What a weekend! We are still
collating the economic return to the state from the millions of dollars spent
on tourism experiences, hotels, restaurants and retail, but it will be
significant and extremely important. This was just one weekend. We make no
secret of the fact that big events are a big part of the McGowan government's
tourism strategy, but supporting all this is our global tourism brand, Walking
on a Dream, which we launched in September last
year. The now iconic floating whale shark has been in Times Square on New Year's
Eve and in Piccadilly Circus in London, as well as other important
global destinations. Our strategy is clear and it is working; it is about
bringing tourists and travellers back to Western
Australia to support jobs and stimulate the economy. Our domestic overnight spend in WA leapt to over $1 billion across the month of September—the
first time since early 2019. This included a 35 per cent jump in spending in WA's
regions on pre-COVID levels. We are also one of the top-performing states for
both interstate visitors and spend, which was up 85 per cent compared with
pre-COVID levels. There is still more to be done. As of January, the number of
international flights into WA was 76 per cent of pre-COVID levels, which was
higher than the national average, and we look to see that grow to 83 per cent
over the coming months, with new flights between Perth and Rome, Tokyo and
Manila, and seasonal flights connecting the eastern states to iconic
destinations like Broome, Exmouth and Busselton coming online. This is in
addition to the 2023 affordable airfares program, which is now live and will
reduce airfares to regional WA.
As
I said, there is more to do. The McGowan government announced its $6 million
support package for the Kimberley tourism sector, which was hit by
floods earlier this year. We will continue to work closely with local operators
to ensure that they get all the support they
need, informed by the great work and advocacy of the member for Kimberley . But the latest national figures are showing
that we are on the right track, and cracking $1 billion in domestic spending is a milestone that we should all recognise. We will continue to put a huge
focus on reinvigorating our tourism market to stimulate economic activity for
local businesses and create jobs. There is more to be done, but with more
amazing weekends like the weekend just gone, we know that tourism is taking the
economy forward.
member knows that tourism is an incredibly important industry that represented
around $12 billion in annual turnover and employed roughly 100 000 people prior
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting the tourism industry back on its feet is an
incredibly important part of ensuring that our economy remains resilient. Now,
more than ever before, we are in a globally competitive tourism market as all
governments and companies around the world seek a global share of the
re-emerging tourism market. We need to act quickly and we need to act
decisively, and that is exactly what the McGowan government has done. We have
one of the greatest environments in the world—one of the greatest
pieces of tourism product in the world—and we are moving heaven and
earth to make sure that the rest of the world knows all about that.
As many members would be aware, the centre of the
entertainment and sporting world over the weekend was not Phoenix, it was
Perth, Western Australia, as we hosted UFC 284, which returned to Australia for
the first time in a thousand days. It set all sorts of records. We had over 6 000
people turn out to watch the weigh-in alone on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, 14 124
people were at a sold-out RAC Arena for the main event. Around 9 000 of those
14 000 people—almost 70 per cent—travelled from outside Western
Australia to enjoy this event. It was the highest grossing arena event in Australian
history, with almost $6 million worth of tickets sold. But that is not all: the
event was beamed around the world to millions of people across 172 countries.
If there was any doubt about how extraordinary WA is, Logan Paul—we all
now know who Logan Paul is!—reinforced it to his 25 million Instagram
viewers, with a quokka selfie to rival Roger Federer's holiday snap
when he was here.
But there was more happening over
the weekend. We had the opening of the Perth Festival on Friday night with the
spectacular Seven Sisters and Djoondal at Joondalup. The Laneway
Festival took over Wellington Square, while
Fringe World kept crowds throughout the city enthralled. We had the West
Australian Ballet launch its season at the Quarry Amphitheatre, and
Perth Glory played at home. We had the Australian Sprintcar Championship at
Perth Motorplex in God's own earth of Kwinana, as well as superstar
acts right across the weekend—Sting had two sold-out nights in Kings
Park, while 50 000 people were at Optus Stadium for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
It was not just about Perth over
the weekend. Of course, we also went to the member for Vasse's city of
Busselton for the Busselton Jetty Swim, which the members for Mirrabooka,
Warren–Blackwood, Scarborough and I were ambitious enough to attempt.
The member for Albany was a late scratching! Although we were delighted to see
the member for Vasse at the start line, disappointingly she was not in her
bathers this year.
What a weekend! We are still
collating the economic return to the state from the millions of dollars spent
on tourism experiences, hotels, restaurants and retail, but it will be
significant and extremely important. This was just one weekend. We make no
secret of the fact that big events are a big part of the McGowan government's
tourism strategy, but supporting all this is our global tourism brand, Walking
on a Dream, which we launched in September last
year. The now iconic floating whale shark has been in Times Square on New Year's
Eve and in Piccadilly Circus in London, as well as other important
global destinations. Our strategy is clear and it is working; it is about
bringing tourists and travellers back to Western
Australia to support jobs and stimulate the economy. Our domestic overnight spend in WA leapt to over $1 billion across the month of September—the
first time since early 2019. This included a 35 per cent jump in spending in WA's
regions on pre-COVID levels. We are also one of the top-performing states for
both interstate visitors and spend, which was up 85 per cent compared with
pre-COVID levels. There is still more to be done. As of January, the number of
international flights into WA was 76 per cent of pre-COVID levels, which was
higher than the national average, and we look to see that grow to 83 per cent
over the coming months, with new flights between Perth and Rome, Tokyo and
Manila, and seasonal flights connecting the eastern states to iconic
destinations like Broome, Exmouth and Busselton coming online. This is in
addition to the 2023 affordable airfares program, which is now live and will
reduce airfares to regional WA.
As
I said, there is more to do. The McGowan government announced its $6 million
support package for the Kimberley tourism sector, which was hit by
floods earlier this year. We will continue to work closely with local operators
to ensure that they get all the support they
need, informed by the great work and advocacy of the member for Kimberley . But the latest national figures are showing
that we are on the right track, and cracking $1 billion in domestic spending is a milestone that we should all recognise. We will continue to put a huge
focus on reinvigorating our tourism market to stimulate economic activity for
local businesses and create jobs. There is more to be done, but with more
amazing weekends like the weekend just gone, we know that tourism is taking the
economy forward.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.