Western Australia’s tourism in crisis as overseas visitor numbers continue to fall

While it offers visitors remarkable beaches, unique attractions, distinctive events and the only direct air service from Australia to London, Western Australia’s international visitor arrivals are in freefall.

New international arrival figures at Perth Airport reveal a 14% decline in October and November.

Speaking to The West Australian, Tourism Council WA (TCWA) Chief Executive Evan Hall said it was “impossible to over-exaggerate the disastrous state of the industry”, advising “we are in a crisis.

“We’ve seen more than 1200 jobs go in the last financial year and it has become inevitable that hundreds more will follow.

“Australia is experiencing an international tourism boom, but those people are not coming to WA. Tourism spending in our State is down by $180 million and if that continues year on year, we will see an industry crisis that mirrors what occurred with the collapse of Ansett, September 11 and the SARS virus.”

TCWA has called for an urgent $130 million investment by the Western Australian Government, describing it as a “state emergency”.

The tourism peak body wants an extra $26 million a year over the next five years to market Western Australia overseas, saying the current $85 million annual budget allocation for tourism in the forward estimates, totalling $425 million, would not “stop the slide”.

However, Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia believes a long term view should be taken, advising “we know international tourism markets take longer to shift.”

Minister Papalia as also maintained that Western Australia couldn’t match the combined marketing spend of Australia’s eastern states, adding “we have established a $30 million aviation fund aimed at making Perth the nation’s western gateway and we’ve seen results with ANA commencing a direct flight from Tokyo, seven days a week from September.”

Local tourism operators agreed that something needed to be done to turn the situation around.

SeaLink General Manager Andrew Lane told The West Australian that there was “a lot of pain out there”, adding “Perth is suffering a perfect storm.

“The local economy is depressed and there has been a downturn in domestic and international visitors. We need to invest in campaigns that give people a reason to come here.”

Adam Barnard, Managing Director of tour and coach operator ADAMS, said it had never been this bad concluding “I know the Government is shy about spending, but this money would be an investment.”

Image: Western Australia's Wave Rock, a natural rock formation shaped like a tall breaking ocean wave.