Media Releases

Industry Welcomes Open Borders with New Zealand

9 April 2021

Tourism Council WA has welcomed today’s announcement by the State Government that Western Australia will open its borders with New Zealand from April 19.

Chief Executive Officer Evan Hall said the announcement was welcome news for the industry, giving tourism businesses certainty to start promoting themselves to international travellers.

Thousands of Tourism Jobs Going as JobKeeper Ends

1 April 2021

Urgent support is needed for tourism businesses which are shedding staff and at risk of closure due to JobKeeper ceasing during ongoing border closures and traveller uncertainty.

Airline Wage Subsidy Must be Extended to Small Tourism Businesses

18 March 2021

Tourism Council WA has called on the Federal Government to extend JobKeeper for all at-risk tourism businesses following the revelation that the major airlines have received a seven month extension of wage subsidies.

Tourism Council Welcomes New Tourism Minister

18 March 2021

Tourism Council WA has welcomed today’s announcement of Hon David Templeman MLA as the new Tourism Minister in the re-elected Labor Government.

Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said he was looking forward to Minister Templeman being the strong voice that the WA tourism industry needed.

“I look forward to working with the new Minister in what is a very critical moment for the future of the industry,” Mr Hall said

Save Perth Jobs and Businesses with Discounted Flights

16 March 2021

The WA tourism industry is calling for Perth to be added to the Federal Government’s discounted airfare scheme, following the addition of Darwin, Adelaide and now Hobart to the list.

Federal Package Will Cost WA Tourism Jobs

11 March 2021

Today’s announcement by the Federal Government of discounted airfares does not support WA tourism businesses devastated by ongoing border closures and traveller uncertainty.

Tourism Council WA Chief Executive Officer Evan Hall said the package would not help the businesses and jobs most severely impacted, and discounted airfares targeting marginal east coast electorates will draw visitors and jobs away from WA.

$50M Support Package Needed as Lockdown Bites

22 February 2021

New financial assistance is needed to sustain WA tourism businesses and jobs, as the latest industry survey reveals the WA tourism industry lost at least $130 million during the recent lockdown and increased restrictions. 

Tourism Council WA is calling on the State Government and Opposition to pledge $50 million towards a support package for at-risk tourism businesses that have been severely impacted because of the recent COVID-19 lockdowns and interstate and regional travel restrictions.

WA Tourism Plea for JobKeeper Replacement

12 February 2021 

New financial assistance to replace JobKeeper is required to sustain tourism businesses and jobs, as the latest official visitor statistics show WA domestic tourism declined by $2.6 billion, or 40 per cent, from March to November 2020.

The latest National Visitor Survey from Tourism Research Australia reveals that from the start of interstate and intrastate travel restrictions in March 2020 up until November, intrastate visitor spending in WA declined by $860 million and interstate visitor spending was down $1,780 million.

One in five tourism businesses at risk

14 January 2021

One in five WA tourism businesses face closure or major job losses due to border uncertainty if JobKeeper expires at the end of March. 

Tourism Council WA’s latest survey reveals the industry has copped mass cancellations from interstate guests since Christmas due to border uncertainty, and forward bookings are down 35 per cent.

WA Domestic Tourism Loses $688m in 3 Months

11 December 2020

WA domestic tourism lost $688 million in the September 2020 quarter, the latest independent National Visitor Survey results from Tourism Research Australia reveal.

While intrastate visitor spending grew by $98 million in the quarter, this was not enough to compensate for the $786 million lost from the lack of interstate visitors. These figures do not include the $580 million lost from international tourism due to border closures.