News Articles for Tourism Council WA

WA Labor has announced a $217 million tourism package, just hours after the state's peak tourism body warned that many local tourism businesses were in dire straits.

A mix of good fortune and good management meant WA emerged from the recent lockdown in good shape. How likely is it to happen again?

The state government has launched a new initiative to boost Perth's tourism sector in the wake of COVID-19, amid claims as many as one in five WA tourism businesses face closure.

While Perth's CBD hotels are struggling, many accommodation providers around WA are faring well, if they can find enough staff.

WA will reopen its interstate border to Victoria and NSW from December 8.

Restaurants, gyms and beauty parlours will be required to keep contact registers from next month despite the state government refusing to say when WA's border will fully reopen.

Can the Great Southern continue to attract large numbers of visitors after the state opens its borders?

It is unclear what effect a partial reopening of WA's border will mean for the state's beleaguered tourism sector.

Western Australia will reopen its borders to all states and territories from November 14, but some restrictions will remain for people from NSW and Victoria.

Premier Mark McGowan has brushed aside the findings of a new poll showing most West Australians want him to set a date for reopening state borders.

Allowing retailers to choose their opening hours and rethinking rules around tenancies, pop-ups, and approvals could help bring life back to Perth CBD.

Tourism Minister Paul Papalia is facing backlash after he said accommodation providers in WA's regions were too full to take in any more from interstate.

The state government has today announced millions of dollars in support for local tourism operators as critics have continued calls for WA to reopen its domestic border.

New tourism data reveals the number of domestic tourists to WA fell 15 per cent in the month of June, the smallest decrease recorded nationally.

Border closures are having a magnified impact on some WA businesses, with calls for a clear strategy on reopening and possible compensation.

The state government continued the rollout of its coronavirus recovery plan over the weekend, announcing funding packages for the tourism and recreational fishing sectors.

Businesses throughout regional Western Australia are being inundated with Perth tourists eager to holiday in their own state.

Western Australia's border closures have sparked heated debate, yet there are some indications the economic impact may be less than contended.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes James Tranter, Cameron Morse, Shaun Duffy, Shane Murphy, Grant Thornton, Ben Suda and Mike McKenna.

The state government has announced millions of dollars in grants for Western Australia's tourism businesses, ahead of a staged reopening of the state's regions and businesses in the coming weeks.

The WA premier has refused to be drawn on when the government will lift COVID-19 restrictions despite more evidence of their economic damage and another day of zero new infections.

WA has recorded two new coronavirus deaths. The federal government has announced a new mandatory code of conduct for landlords. Its $130 billion JobKeeper scheme is expected to pass parliament tomorrow.

Representatives from the tourism and higher education sectors have today criticised aspects of the federal government's JobKeeper program, voicing concerns that many businesses may not qualify for the wage subsidies.

The state government has urged Western Australian tourism operators to bring forward deals and promotions in support of the local industry, as it launches a ‘Do it in WA' campaign that will use existing funding.

Five Western Australian tourism businesses have received gold medals at the recent 2019 Australian Tourism Awards ceremony, with recognition for best accommodation and food tourism excellence among the winning categories.

As recently as a fortnight ago, industry leaders and government officials were urging caution as the novel coronavirus swept through China, with representatives from Western Australia's tourism and education sectors confident the state was prepared to manage any possible fallout.

UPDATED: The state government has said it will adopt most of the recommendations arising from a parliamentary inquiry into short-term accommodation, with Tourism Council WA and the Australian Hotels Association WA welcoming the pledge to apply more stringent regulation to the sector.

The state government has today pledged to spend $2 million promoting regional tourism and $8 million on aviation, as it ramps-up its response to the worsening coronavirus outbreak.

Airbnb says 4.5 million people booked rooms on its online lodging platform in regional Australia last year, with 260,000 guests visiting regional Western Australia, confirming the widespread uptake of its accommodation services.

Representatives from Western Australia's education and tourism sectors have expressed cautious optimism the state's institutions are well placed to ride out the effects of the current novel coronavirus outbreak, as the state government pledges $2.9 million in extra funding to aid in combatting the impact it will have on WA's tourism sector.

The state and federal governments today announced the first details of several planned infrastructure projects on Rottnest Island, on the back of $33 million in investments for the island over the next three years.

The Morrison government has announced a suite of measures to immediately support small businesses, non-profit organisations and tourism businesses affected by Australia's bushfires.

Findings released today by Tourism Research Australia show 2.9 million visitors spent a total of $10.9 billion in Western Australia in the year to September 2019, a substantial increase on previous periods.

Tourism Minister Paul Papalia announced a series of marketing campaigns with tourism operators in Germany, Switzerland and the UK in December as part of the state government's $12 million marketing campaign targeting European tourists.

The state government has announced new direct flights between the Philippines and WA beginning in March of next year, with tickets expected to go on sale this month.

Busselton Jetty and Sandalford Wines made big showings at the 47th WA Tourism Awards, picking up several gold awards and distinctions between them.

Perth Airport is paving the way for Western Australia to have a tourism attraction of global significance, setting aside land to facilitate the development of the $510 million Australian Biome Project.

Tourism Council WA has encouraged the state to attract more international students and events, as the state government touted figures from Tourism Research Australia as proof its marketing campaigns were paying off.

UPDATED: A three-year trial to boost rock lobster availability in Western Australia is expected to increase visitor expenditure and grow jobs in marine tourism, though the lobster industry has expressed concern over the changes.

Industry bodies are divided over a plan to increase regulation of short-stay accommodation providers such as Airbnb, with Tourism Council WA and the Australian Hotels Association among supporters of the proposed rules.