WA tourism boost amid declining visitors

Written on the 21 June 2017

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says his election promise to boost tourism marketing will make the sector stronger, but the industry body disagrees, after the latest data showed a drop in interstate visitors.

Figures released by Tourism WA on Wednesday showed interstate visitors declined by 8.2 per cent, or about 121,000 people, to less than 1.4 million in the year to March.

Despite a drop in visitors, their spending increased by 14.3 per cent to more than $1.5 million.

Business trips to the state dropped by 17.4 per cent for the same period, while business trips within WA increased slightly by 2.2 per cent.

Tourism WA will soon come under the new Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation - which the industry opposes - while $425 million has been put towards tourism marketing and events over the next five years.

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Source: The Australian