28 May 2019
Words Ben Hall

Record numbers of visitors head to Western Australia

Western Australia has attracted a record number of visitors from both interstate and international destinations, in a sign the state could be the next hotspot for the accommodation industry.

A report from Tourism Research Australia collated figures from the National Visitor Survey (NVS) for 2018, combined with the International Visitor Survey (IVS) for 2018.

It showed that Western Australia had 2.58 million combined visitors from out of state and international, which is the highest amount in the past four years and an increase of 11.4 per cent on 2017.

Results also showed spending by out of state and international visitors rose 6.5 percent to $3.8 billion.

The NVS results alone showed a 17.8 per cent increase in interstate visitors to 1.61 million during 2018. This was the highest growth rate in the country.

Interstate nights and spend also increased compared to 2017, with interstate spend up 17.7 per cent to $1.62 billion and visitor nights up 4.7 per cent.

The NVS results also show more Western Australians are choosing to holiday at home, with the number of intrastate visitors at a four-year high. The number of intrastate nights and spend were also up on last year’s results.

Combined, the NVS and IVS data shows WA had 34.5 million visitors during 2018. This amount includes both overnight visitors and day trippers travelling to, and within, the state and is a 15.8 per cent increase on last year’s numbers.

The combined data also showed local WA visitor spend totalled $10.4 billion for 2018, up 8.7 per cent from 2017.

ResortBrokers WA representative Blair Macdonald says the Tourism Research Australia figures confirm the accommodation and tourism property industry in his “patch” is well placed to benefit from the spike in visitor numbers.

“Western Australia is such a diverse and remarkable state. Our sunniest capital city, Perth, is a corporate powerhouse, we have ancient forests and reefs, the whitest beaches, award-winning wines, rugged desert landscapes,” Blair says.

“So many worlds for visitors to explore. What better business to be in than tourism and accommodation?”