The state's top tourism body has embraced the World Heritage listing of Ningaloo Reef, saying it will both protect and promote the region.
The World Heritage Committee endorsed Ningaloo's nomination at its meeting in Paris last night.
The listing covers an area of 604,500 hectares and includes the Ningaloo Marine Park and Cape Range National Park, as well as the Learmonth weapons range, Bundegi and Jurabi coastal parks, and the Muiron Islands and its marine management area.
Environment Minister Bill Marmion said the Ningaloo Marine Park and the Cape Range National park attracted more than 250,000 visitors each year, injecting around $141 million into the Gascoyne's regional economy.
Tourism Council Western Australia chief executive Evan Hall said the heritage listing would elevate Ningaloo as a tourism icon with the same stature as the Great Barrier Reef.
"While the Great Barrier Reef gets all the coverage, Ningaloo is more accessible, attractive and ecologically interesting experience," Mr Hall said.
M<r Hall saiod the listing would attract a range of international tourists, from backpackers and divers to high-end visitors.
"Nature-based tourists spend $25 billion in Australia each year, but we need to attract more of those visitors to Western Australian regions like the Coral Coast," he said.
Mr Hall said, however, that passenger transport to the Coral Coast would need to improve to capitalise on the listing.
"WE need more bus services through the Coral Coast for the international backpacker market attracted to the reef," he said.
"We also need to enhance our aviation services to the airports n the Coral Coast."
The only other World Heritage listed sites in WA are the Fremantle Prison, Shark Bay and Purnululu National Park.
