WA driving holidays to boost tourism

Tourism Minister Paul Papalia says an international campaign promoting driving holidays in Western Australia launched today by the state government will encourage visitation to the state.

The campaign will promote a range of self-drive holiday routes across the whole of WA, featuring information on distances and accommodation options.

Each road trip route highlights experiences unique to that particular region, including attractions and local history as well as gourmet cuisine and adventure options.

Visitors will also be informed of the best time of year to view nature and wildlife.

Launched domestically, the campaign will also be run across nine countries - Singapore, Malaysia, China, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Indonesia.

“The vastness of WA is sometimes perceived as a negative, but this campaign will show visitors that road trips are actually one of the best ways to explore our scenic state,” Mr Papalia said.

“It will encourage interstate, international and local visitors to experience all that our extraordinary state has to offer.

“A road trip is the perfect way to discover regional WA’s stunning attractions, at your own pace and on your own terms.

“The campaign forms part of Tourism WA’s two-year action plan, which aims to grow the number of visitors to the state and encourage them to disperse to the regions.”

Shadow Tourism Minister Libby Mettam has cautiously welcomed the campaign.

“The McGowan government has, to date, had a very metro-centric approach to tourism and falls in interstate and international tourism numbers show that approach hasn’t worked,” Ms Mettam said.

“This is at least an acknowledgement that some of WA’s most attractive tourism offerings are in regional WA and must be a significant component of any campaign to attract international visitors.

“The switch to a self-drive focus is also a move away from the government’s previous strategy to heavily subsidise regional flights.”