Western Australia
History
Tourism forms a significant part of the Western Australian economy, with 833,100 international visitors making up 12.8% of the total global tourism to Australia in the year ending March 2015. The top three source markets include the United Kingdom (17%), Singapore (10%), and New Zealand (10%), with the majority of purposes for visitation being holiday/vacation reasons. The tourism industry contributes $9.3 billion to the Western Australian economy and supports 94,000 jobs. Both directly and indirectly, the sector makes up 3.2% of the State’s economy, while comparatively, WA’s largest revenue source, the mining sector, brings in 31%.
Tourism WA is the government agency responsible for promoting Western Australia as a holiday destination. From wilderness adventures in the arid outback or diving on coral reefs to fine dining in world-class restaurants or a night at a casino, a range of experiences attracts a wide variety of visitors to Western Australia. Many of these visitors come from Asia, the balance from Australia.
The numbers of international and interstate visitors, as tourists, students, conference delegates, or business people, are projected to increase significantly over the next 5-10 years. A tough domestic tourism market underpins this growth.
As much of this growth reflects the State’s strengthening links with Asia, there is considerable room for specialized new services and facilities such as resorts, golf courses, hotels, and conference facilities. The State encourages investment in the tourism sector.