Tourism Western Australia

Applications for the 2025-26 Regional Event Scheme (RES) are now open, with up to $1 million available to support regional Western Australian events.

This includes $150,000 of dedicated funding for Aboriginal events through the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme (RAES) to support events that showcase Aboriginal culture and experiences.

The RES is an annual program that supports smaller and developing regional events with funding between $5,000 and $40,000 available per event, helping to stimulate local economies and attract new visitors to regional WA.

The Tourism WA scheme is supported by the Royalties for Regions program through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Applications close at 5pm AWST on Friday, 20 September 2024.

Busselton Jetty Swim 2024
Image credit: Abby Murray Photography

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3AwiDqr

Tourism WA’s new advertising campaign in India launches today featuring Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and his son Harry.

The video-led campaign is promoting day trips from Perth, with the star cricketer and his son enjoying road trips to popular WA destinations like the Pinnacles, Swan Valley and Lancelin.

The campaign will run on high-impact billboards in Mumbai and Delhi, driving traffic to accommodation, tourism experiences and partner deals with Thomas Cook and Skyscanner, which will offer packages to Perth.

Building on Western Australia's highly successful Walking On A Dream global brand, the new campaign aims to inspire longer stays with travellers from India - a market which represents huge growth potential for WA and typically visits Perth, Peel and surrounding areas.

India has leapt to become WA's seventh largest market (up from 11th largest pre-pandemic), which shows surging demand from Indian visitors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jhXunWXMo

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3X57Rjz

Drive the Dream with Adam 'Gilly' Gilchrist | Day Trips from Perth Come along for the drive with Australian Cricket legend and proud West Australian - Adam ‘Gilly’ Gilchrist and his son Harry, reconnect as they hit the open ...

WA is gearing up for a blockbuster weekend of sport, expected to attract thousands of out-of-state fans to Perth.

On Saturday night, the Wallabies will take on reigning Rugby World Cup Champions, the Springboks, at Optus Stadium before UFC 305: DU PLESSIS vs. ADESANYA packs a punch at RAC Arena on Sunday morning.

Adding to the hype are halo events such as the Gold Blooded tour, which brought rugby to metro and regional towns across WA this week, UFC’s open workout yesterday, official press conference today, and tomorrow's ceremonial weigh in at RAC Arena.

Both events are expected to draw a significant broadcast audience, putting eyes across the world on Western Australia.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3WMCcC3
Images credit: Getty Images

Tourism WA invites tourism businesses to join a Market Spotlight event on Tuesday, 27 August featuring representatives from our team in India.

The in-person event will provide an opportunity to hear updates from the market team on the latest insights from their region, upcoming activities, and opportunities to get involved in India-focused activity.

Registrations close Tuesday, 20 August to attend the event or to receive the recording of the session, which will be distributed following the event.

Register here 👉 https://bit.ly/3M14Ydp

WA’s Dream Events calendar has just become even more exciting, with the full program for Pair’d Margaret River Region and EverNow unveiled this week.

WA's newest Tourism WA owned event, Pair’d, revealed its inaugural program this week, which promises a bountiful line-up showcasing the best of the Margaret River Region's wines, food, chefs and venues, from 14-17 November.

The full event program for EverNow: A Festival During Kambarang has also been launched and includes an Australian-exclusive show ‘From the Light Flow: Bena Koorliny’, a spectacular collaboration between Noongar artists and world-renowned performance company Groupe F.

The free, family event runs from 3-7 October.

Read more here 👉 Pair’d: https://bit.ly/4c8n1Zy and here 👉EverNow: https://bit.ly/3WlhGs8

📸: EverNow by Jarrad Seng

A range of adventurous long-term career opportunities in WA's tourism and hospitality industry are on show at the Perth Skillswest Careers & Employment Expo this week.

Kicking off today, industry representatives have joined Tourism WA to promote WA’s Dream Jobs at the Expo as part of our ongoing strategy to grow and retain a high-performing workforce.

The three-day expo attracts a broad range of attendees including prospective students, career seekers, mature aged career changers, and graduates looking for information on study, training, development, and employment.

Almost $5 million has been committed over the next two years to continue the Tourism Workforce Development Program, which aims to boost WA’s current and future industry workforce.

The sector currently supports around 110,000 jobs in WA, with jobs impacted by the pandemic all refilled, and the industry on a growth trajectory.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3Yh72VK

Tourism WA recently brought 30 agents from the UK’s largest tour operator to Australia, Trailfinders, to Western Australia.

Last month, the agents spent three action-packed days in Perth as part of Trailfinders’ Academy initiative, which combines supplier training with destination experiences.

This included a gourmet lunch and wine pairing in the Swan Valley, exploring the Pinnacles and Rottnest Island/Wadjemup, and walking tours in Perth city and Fremantle.

All agents also participated in pre and post-familiarisations around Australia, in partnership with Qantas and Tourism Australia, including the Kimberley.

View the video here:

Trailfinders’ first ever Australia Academy brings 30 UK agents to Perth Tourism WA, in partnership with Qantas and Tourism Australia, brought 30 agents from Trailfinders, the UK’s largest tour operator to Australia, to Western A...

Did you hear? 🍇

The Swan Valley Old Vine Charter was recently launched at Sandalford Wines to recognise the importance of Swan Valley Old Vines.

This exciting initiative will preserve the region’s vineyards for future generations and was initiated by local generational winemakers.

The charter is based on the Barossa Old Vine Charter and is a culmination of over three years of planning by a Swan Valley working group with support from Tourism WA.

Read the grape news here 🍇 https://bit.ly/46cGFST

Image credit: Tourism Australia

Ever dreamed of sailing away into the sunset? ⛵ 🚢

WA’s cruise tourism sector is booming and offers incredible opportunities for adventure seekers looking to cast off into a successful career.

From remote locations in the Kimberley to the spectacular South West coast, there are a variety of paid and volunteer cruise roles across .

Among the cruise tourism workforce is Alan, a cruise tourism volunteer dedicated to ensuring visitors to WA’s historic port city of Fremantle have a world-class experience:

Discover Alan’s story: https://bit.ly/3W1F4dS

Perfectly timed ahead of the Paris Olympics, the inaugural non-stop Qantas flight between Paris and Perth has launched, with celebrations held over the weekend.

On Sunday, celebrations were held at Perth Airport to coincide with Bastille Day, with Tourism WA Chair Di Bain presenting an opening address.

The near 17-hour flight will operate four days per week throughout the European summer and continue three times per week from mid-August 2024.

It will add more than 37,500 additional inbound seats from Europe to Perth each year, cutting more than three hours off the current fastest travel time between Paris and Perth.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4cGMbzM

Don’t miss out on 2024 National NAIDOC Week (7 – 14 July) activations across WA.

Keeping with this year’s theme, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, we encourage you to take part in a NAIDOC event near you that honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture.

The Yagan Square Amphitheatre in Boorloo/Perth is hosting Karla Yaanginy (meaning ’sharing about the fire’), a free, family-friendly special NAIDOC event featuring stories about what fire (karla) means to the local Noongar people and animals.

Taking place from 6pm on Friday, 12 July, this celebration of Noongar culture will include dance, music, pyrotechnics, visual art and shadow puppetry.

There are so many events taking place throughout the week – see the full list here: https://bit.ly/3WbTZ6C

Image credit: 2024 National NAIDOC Week Poster - Urapun Muy by Deb Belyea

Registrations are closing soon for Tourism WA’s ‘Cruise Ready Workshop’ on Wednesday, 17 July.

Hosted in Perth as part of the WA Cruise Exchange, the workshop will:

🚢 Provide insights into how to successfully service the cruise market;

🚢 Share valuable information on the state of the industry during the return of cruise;

🚢 Discuss protocols and logistics;

🚢 Identify the future opportunities in a growing sector and;

🚢 Discuss how to work with destinations to deliver world-class experiences.

Hear from Jill Abel, CEO of Australian Cruise Association, and specialist ground handlers.

In person attendance is encouraged or online streaming is available for regional WA attendees.

Registrations close Thursday, 11 July.

Register here: https://bit.ly/4bqBLCQ

WA’s own Kings Park and Botanic Garden and the World Heritage listed Fremantle Prison have placed in the top ten attractions in Tripadvisor's Traveller’s Choice Awards list for Australia in 2024.

Kings Park and Botanic Garden, known for its spectacular views, abundant native gardens and the State War Memorial came in at number one, while Fremantle Prison was named the ninth best attraction in Australia.

What a fantastic result for !

Find out more about dreamlike, otherworldly Western Australia here: https://bit.ly/3W9pluQ

Perth’s new winter arts and cultural festival RE//Perth has kicked off, activating multiple spaces in Northbridge in a celebration of creativity and urban exploration.

Perfectly timed to coincide with the winter school holidays, RE//Perth will run until Sunday, 14 July, with hero production The Mirror, running from 2 - 27 July.

Its varied program also includes kids activities, bespoke dining experiences, live entertainment and performances, and sustainable fashion activations.

This new homegrown festival is being delivered by ARTRAGE, known for producing the annual FRINGE WORLD festival.

Read more here https://bit.ly/4cqBKAg

Image credit: City of Perth

A special naming ceremony has been held for the Seabourn Pursuit, the latest vessel from luxury cruise and expedition travel line, Seabourn, which recently undertook its maiden voyage in the Kimberley region, in Australia’s North West.

The Wunambal Gaambera People, custodial owners of Ngula Jar Island, were formally recognised as the vessel’s godparents at an official naming ceremony held over the weekend. It marked the first time in maritime history that Traditional Owners have been named as the godparents of a cruise ship.

Congratulations to the Wunambal Gaambera People and Seabourn – Tourism WA is proud to provide its support in bringing more visitors to The Kimberley to experience authentic Aboriginal tourism offerings.

Image credits: Seabourn Cruise Line

Read more about WA's cruise industry: https://bit.ly/4eM2wVi

Don’t miss out on the chance to apply for Tourism WA and Tourism Council Western Australia's recognition program, The Dream Collective Western Australia.

This exciting new program has been developed to promote and showcase the best of Western Australia’s tourism offerings, recognising the state's leading tourism operators who consistently deliver high-quality visitor experiences.

Tourism operators must meet the eligibility criteria and participate in an annual evaluation process across a set of criteria, including customer reviews, online platforms, marketing activity, training, accreditation, and awards, to be considered for inclusion.

Applications close Friday, 12 July. Find out more and apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/3znaO5Q

WA’s visitor economy has reached new heights, with figures released by Tourism Research Australia this week showing WA's visitor economy has surged to $17.9 billion. 🎉

The latest results are $4.4 billion or 32 per cent ahead of the 2019 pre-pandemic figure, which was $13.5 billion.

For the first time, international visitor levels have surpassed the 2019 value, reaching $2.5 billion greater than the pre-pandemic value.

WA was also the top performing state by overnight visitors compared to 2019.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/4bmwtbE

The inaugural non-stop flight between Singapore and Broome landed earlier this week, marking the first international route to fly directly into regional WA since the state’s borders reopened.

Operating twice weekly until Saturday, 26 October, the seasonal Jetstar Asia service will bring almost 6,500 inbound seats to Broome in its first year and reduce travel time by over five hours.

It also connects Australia’s North West with existing aviation networks via Singapore’s Changi Airport, opening new channels for visitors across Asia to visit all of the dreamlike destinations in the Kimberley and beyond.

The new service is supported by the $75 million Aviation Recovery Fund, in collaboration with Broome International Airport.

Image credit: Lauren Bath

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/4cHBbBT

WA’s dream tourism job opportunities have been highlighted on Channel 9 News, as we continue to encourage people of all ages to consider a career in tourism and hospitality.

To find out more about the opportunities to join WA’s tourism and hospitality industry, check out our latest initiatives:

🌊 Visit the Tourism & Hospitality Stand at Perth SkillsWest & Careers Expo, to be held at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, from Thursday, 25 until Saturday, 27 July to learn more about jobs and career opportunities in WA’s Tourism & Hospitality industry.

🌊 See stories of other inspiring young West Australians working in the industry by visiting the Dream Careers Hub here 👉 https://perthisok.com/dream-careers-hub/

🌊 Watch the full story of young West Australians already pursuing a dream career in tourism here 👉 https://fb.watch/sPx_IhuL8t/

The World Supercross Championship will race into Perth/Boorloo this November for an Australian-exclusive double-header event. 🎉🏅

The Federation Internationale de Motocylisme (FIM) Championship will take place from 23-24 November at HBF Park, featuring some of the world’s best supercross riders with thousands of fans expected to attend.

Supercross consists of exhilarating motorcycle racing on in-stadium dirt tracks and offer is the ultimate combination of elite motorsport and live entertainment.

Perth will host two legs of the global event this year, the only city in Australia to secure this thrilling event which is considered the pinnacle of global supercross racing.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/4c7VbNT
Image credit: FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX)

Thomas Dambo’s Giants of Mandurah has injected a whopping $64 million in visitor spend into the Peel region 👏

The free Australian-exclusive installation has been live since November 2022 and new figures show it's delighted more than 86,000 visitors from outside the Peel region.

Those visitors spent roughly 350,000 nights in local accommodation, delivering massive economic benefits for local tourism and hospitality businesses.

With the sculpture trail typically taking more than a day to discover, visitors have stayed an average of four nights to enjoy the highlights of the Peel region alongside the exhibition.

Giants of Mandurah was produced by FORM, who delivered the project in collaboration with City of Mandurah and supported through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program, and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Lotterywest, the City of Subiaco and the Alcoa Foundation

Find out more at https://bit.ly/4c2BSWw



📷 by Duncan Wright, courtesy of FORM Building a State of Creativity.

Beloved Australian environmentalist and son of Australian legend Steve Irwin, Robert Irwin, has been locked in as the first major speaker to address the upcoming World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Perth.

Taking place at Crown Perth from 8 – 10 October, the world’s biggest tourism conference will bring together global leaders to discuss issues affecting tourism, trade and travel, while elevating WA on the world stage.

Tourism WA is proud to sponsor the three-day exclusive event, alongside Business Events Perth and Business Events Australia, with the prestigious conference one of several major business events locked in for 2024-25.

Read more here https://bit.ly/3R5EOc9

This week is National Reconciliation Week and in 2024, follows the theme ‘Now More Than Ever’.

The tourism industry is in a unique position to help foster a future where reconciliation thrives and at Tourism WA, we are dedicated to supporting the growth of Aboriginal tourism, working alongside Aboriginal business operators.

Last week, Tourism WA was immensely proud to have nine trade-ready Aboriginal tourism operators representing Western Australia as part of the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE24) in Melbourne, who showcased their unique tourism products to the event’s global audience.

In addition to the global ‘Walking On A Dream’ brand, Tourism WA is also proud to celebrate Aboriginal culture through many initiatives, including:

- The WA Visitor Economy Strategy 2033, which outlines Aboriginal tourism as a key pillar of Tourism WA’s 10-year plan;

- The Jina: WA Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2021 – 2025, which seeks to establish WA as Australia’s premier Aboriginal tourism destination;

- Supporting Aboriginal tourism operators through our funded partner WAITOC;

- The Camping with Custodians Program and the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme.

Learn about these initiatives and more here 👉 https://bit.ly/3Ar7G44

Regional carrier Rex Airlines has announced two new routes into Perth from Melbourne and Adelaide, adding nearly 61,000 extra seats into Western Australia each year. 🛫

From Friday, 28 June, Rex Airlines will offer services between Melbourne and Perth five days a week, supported by Tourism WA, and between Adelaide and Perth three times per week.

The flights have been timed to coincide with the start of the school holiday period, offering fantastic opportunities for visitors to explore Western Australia at leisure.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/3KhoktL

China Southern Airlines will recommence its non-stop service between Guangzhou and Perth from 28 November 🛫

Supported by the Tourism WA-delivered $75 million Aviation Recovery Fund, the airline will operate the service three times per week on a B787-9 aircraft, bringing an additional 41,000 inbound seats to Western Australia each year.

The non-stop flight will be the first year-round non-stop service between mainland China and Western Australia since the pandemic.

This milestone marks the 20th international destination connected to Perth with new or resumed non-stop flights since borders reopened, further strengthening WA’s status as Australia’s Western Gateway.

Read more here https://bit.ly/3ViNPkV

Perth is set to welcome Australia’s largest basketball festival, HoopsFest, from 19 - 22 September 2024. 🎉

Perth will exclusively host:

🏀 All ten Australian National Basketball League teams to play one round exclusively in a single city for championship points, for the first time ever

🏀 The entire Women’s NBL with all eight WNBL teams

🏀 The U18s Club Championships, involving the 48 best teams from around Australia

Basketball fans can also look forward to Sneakerland, Australia’s largest sneaker culture festival, plus the HoopsFest Fan Festival including music, entertainment, and street basketball.

Hoopsfest is proudly supported by Tourism WA and is expected to attract thousands of out-of-state visitors.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/4dQgDsb

Career Spotlight: Meet Kate

Kate turned her passion for fitness, the outdoors and mental health into a thriving tourism business – The Hike Collective.

“Tourism is the perfect industry to create your own career – there are no walls and boxes to fit into, and it’s such a diverse industry that you can make it suit your lifestyle.”

Western Australia’s tourism and hospitality industry is full of career opportunities with adventure, meaning and connection.

Explore more and meet some of the inspiring young people who are forging careers in the industry by visiting the Dream Career Hub: https://bit.ly/4arwXNl