Qantas to launch major WA tourism pitch

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says the carrier is set to announce a multi-million dollar joint marketing agreement with Tourism WA in a bid to promote Western Australia to a new raft of international visitors.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, Mr Joyce said the arrangement would be of a similar nature to a $30 million, three-year deal launched with the New South Wales government last month.

“Western Australia is one of the world’s great tourism destinations,” Mr Joyce told guests.

“It has so much untapped potential.

“Our partnership with Emirates is going to help unlock that potential with Emirates code-sharing on 32 domestic destinations, including the holiday destinations of Broome, Geraldton, Exmouth and Kalgoorlie.

“We see this as a great opportunity to bring more international tourists to Western Australia, especially Europe.”

Further details are to be announced in the coming weeks.

Mr Joyce also flagged the possibility of a return to Qantas branded overseas flights from Perth but says it will only happen if it stacks up commercially.

He said he had discussed with alliance partners Emirates the possibility of Qantas flights one day returning to destinations such as continental Europe but that it was not an immediate priority.

“For me, I’d love the Qantas brand to fly everywhere, in every city,” he said.

“We’re talking with Emirates about the possibility of Qantas coming back on these routes.

“We want to be able to do all of that but you can only do it when you demonstrate to your bankers, to your shareholders, to your board that you can make a return out of that.”

Currently, Singapore is Qantas’s only remaining international destination out of Perth, with Emirates and discount subsidiary Jetstar handling all other overseas routes.

Mr Joyce said Qantas’s intra-WA business had grown by about 22 per cent this year as the national carrier invested in servicing companies in the resources sector.