❓ The Minister for Tourism provides an update on Western Australia's tourism performance, highlighting increases in intrastate and interstate visitors, and shifts in international visitor behaviour with longer stays and increased spending despite some sector declines.
AnsweredQoN 268Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — PERFORMANCE
268. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Tourism:
Tourism is an important industry in my electorate and across
the state. Can the minister please update the house on how Western Australia is
performing as a tourist destination?
268. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Tourism:
Tourism is an important industry in my electorate and across
the state. Can the minister please update the house on how Western Australia is
performing as a tourist destination?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question—a very important
one it is too, to look at how tourism is going in this state and how the
numbers are stacking up.
As the member knows, we put a huge effort into improving the
number of tourists coming to Western Australia, particularly with things like
the events scheme, which had $10 million of royalties for regions funding to
spend throughout the regional areas of Western Australia. There has been a
significant increase in spending also in the metropolitan area to promote some
fantastic new events that we have seen recently in this state, and that has
resulted in improved visitor numbers.
The other area I was particularly focusing on was not just
getting people from overseas or interstate to Western Australia, but also on
getting the roughly 1.6 million of us in the metropolitan area, who tend to sit
on our backsides, to go out and see the rest of Western Australia. The figures
for intrastate visitors—that is, to Perth—indicate an 11.5 per
cent increase in spend, a 6.4 per cent increase in number and a 6.8 per cent
increase in nights spent. Overall holiday visitor growth to Western Australia
to see what we have to offer has increased by 8.4 per cent, or 182 000 extra
visitors.
Our interstate visitor number grew by 6.5 per cent, which is
ahead of the national average of 2.1 per cent, and equates to an additional 19 000
tourists compared with the previous year. I have to say, though, that number
comes off a higher level a few years back, and we will have to work hard to
build it back up again; hence our commitment during the election campaign for
increased funding that will go to marketing, particularly in the eastern
states. Part of that is the ''1001 Extraordinary Experiences''
campaign that we are rolling out to increase those numbers.
Our international visitor numbers are probably slightly more
varied. Our numbers have gone up three per cent, but that is less than the
national average of 4.9 per cent. Our leisure visitors have contracted by 0.7 per
cent, and our business numbers have contracted by 2.4 per cent, but at the same
time visiting friends and relatives has gone up 7.3 per cent, so they have
balanced each other out. One of the reasons may be that the previously high
Australian dollar made it difficult. Offsetting that, there has been a
significant increase in the amount of time people stay and, from that, a
significant increase in the amount of money those people spend. Although our
leisure visitors are down 0.7 per cent, the average number of nights they stay
is up from 23 to 27, and their average spend is up 16 per cent, meaning those
international visitors are spending an additional $93 million. The business
sector, which is down 2.4 per cent and does not look good on the surface, has
increased its average stay from 15 nights to 22 nights, and its spend is up a
massive 33.9 per cent, which is an additional $90 million. As a state
government we will continue to work hard to make sure we continue to grow those
numbers. We are outdoing the other states, and I am confident we will continue
to do so.
one it is too, to look at how tourism is going in this state and how the
numbers are stacking up.
As the member knows, we put a huge effort into improving the
number of tourists coming to Western Australia, particularly with things like
the events scheme, which had $10 million of royalties for regions funding to
spend throughout the regional areas of Western Australia. There has been a
significant increase in spending also in the metropolitan area to promote some
fantastic new events that we have seen recently in this state, and that has
resulted in improved visitor numbers.
The other area I was particularly focusing on was not just
getting people from overseas or interstate to Western Australia, but also on
getting the roughly 1.6 million of us in the metropolitan area, who tend to sit
on our backsides, to go out and see the rest of Western Australia. The figures
for intrastate visitors—that is, to Perth—indicate an 11.5 per
cent increase in spend, a 6.4 per cent increase in number and a 6.8 per cent
increase in nights spent. Overall holiday visitor growth to Western Australia
to see what we have to offer has increased by 8.4 per cent, or 182 000 extra
visitors.
Our interstate visitor number grew by 6.5 per cent, which is
ahead of the national average of 2.1 per cent, and equates to an additional 19 000
tourists compared with the previous year. I have to say, though, that number
comes off a higher level a few years back, and we will have to work hard to
build it back up again; hence our commitment during the election campaign for
increased funding that will go to marketing, particularly in the eastern
states. Part of that is the ''1001 Extraordinary Experiences''
campaign that we are rolling out to increase those numbers.
Our international visitor numbers are probably slightly more
varied. Our numbers have gone up three per cent, but that is less than the
national average of 4.9 per cent. Our leisure visitors have contracted by 0.7 per
cent, and our business numbers have contracted by 2.4 per cent, but at the same
time visiting friends and relatives has gone up 7.3 per cent, so they have
balanced each other out. One of the reasons may be that the previously high
Australian dollar made it difficult. Offsetting that, there has been a
significant increase in the amount of time people stay and, from that, a
significant increase in the amount of money those people spend. Although our
leisure visitors are down 0.7 per cent, the average number of nights they stay
is up from 23 to 27, and their average spend is up 16 per cent, meaning those
international visitors are spending an additional $93 million. The business
sector, which is down 2.4 per cent and does not look good on the surface, has
increased its average stay from 15 nights to 22 nights, and its spend is up a
massive 33.9 per cent, which is an additional $90 million. As a state
government we will continue to work hard to make sure we continue to grow those
numbers. We are outdoing the other states, and I am confident we will continue
to do so.
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