Media Releases

Industry Welcomes Roadmap to Reopening Tourism

10 May 2020

Tourism Council WA has welcomed today’s announcement by the State Government of a roadmap to lift COVID-19 travel restrictions which will allow some intrastate tourism to recommence from next week. 

Tourism Council WA Evan Hall said the changes to travel restrictions in Phase 2 would be a lifeline for tourism businesses affected, particularly in the South West as people from Perth start to head south. 

30,500 Jobs and $3.1b Lost From Cancelled WA Holidays

23 April 2020

The tourism industry has lost $3.1 billion and more than 30,000 jobs as six months’ worth of bookings were cancelled, and refunds paid to customers, following regional WA travel restrictions. 

“Tourism operators have not just lost three weeks of trade since regional travel restrictions were implemented, they immediately lost six months’ worth of bookings as people were encouraged to cancel their holiday plans,” Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said.

WA’s Record $11b Tourism Industry Must Survive

8 April 2020

The latest International and National Visitor Survey results, released today, show visitors in WA spent a record $11 billion in 2019, an increase of 15 per cent on the previous year.

These are the most recent results available and precede the impact of bushfires and coronavirus on the tourism industry.

With the restrictions on gatherings and international, interstate and intrastate travel, WA’s $11 billion tourism industry, which employs 108,000 Western Australians, is now on hold. 

JobKeeper Leaves Tourism Businesses Behind

7 April 2020

Tourism Council WA has been inundated by concerns from small and regional tourism businesses that they will not be eligible for the JobKeeper payment.

The JobKeeper payment has been widely well-received by the industry to keep businesses afloat and staff employed during the downturn. However, Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said many tourism businesses were seasonal and may not be eligible to receive the JobKeeper payments. 

Postpone, Don't Cancel, Your Holiday in WA

25 March 2020

Tourism Council WA is asking Western Australians to postpone, rather than cancel, any planned holidays in WA that can’t currently take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said tourism businesses were relaxing their cancellation policies to allow credits so visitors could return at a later date.

“On behalf of tourism businesses across the State, we ask that you do not cancel your holiday – just postpone it. Get in touch with tourism businesses and postpone your booking for a better time,” Mr Hall said.

WA Tourism Determined to Survive

22 March 2020

Today’s $66 billion economic support package announced by the Prime Minister has been welcomed by Tourism Council WA as crucial for the tourism industry to survive, and eventually recover from, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Executive Officer Evan Hall said the package responded to the key points advocated by Tourism Council WA over the past few weeks, such as assistance for sole traders, SMEs and casual employees in the tourism industry. 

New Campaign Promotes Holidaying in WA

12 March 2020

Tourism Council WA has welcomed the State Government’s new multi-million-dollar intrastate marketing campaign which calls on Western Australians to support the tourism industry by exploring their own backyard. 

Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said with the low Australian dollar and coronavirus impact, it was a prime time for Western Australians to holiday in WA and support the local businesses, communities and jobs which rely on tourism.

Holiday in WA with State’s National Award Winners

6 March 2020

Western Australian tourism businesses have taken home ten medals for the State at the 2019 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Canberra tonight. 

The Gold Medals were awarded to:

Commitment to Implement Short-Stay Accommodation Inquiry Recommendations Welcomed

12 February 2020

Tourism Council WA has welcomed the announcement today by the State Government that the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry into short-stay accommodation will be adopted. 

At last year’s inquiry, Tourism Council WA called for changes to the short-stay accommodation sector to ensure fair competition across the market and maintain visitor expenditure and tourism jobs across WA, through a submission and in-person appearance. 

Federal Relief Needed to Protect WA Tourism

11 February 2020

Tourism Council WA has called on the Federal Government to immediately respond to the crisis facing the WA tourism industry from the coronavirus and inject $76 million for international marketing, small business support and regional tourism.

The severity of the impact of travel restrictions due to coronavirus on WA’s tourism industry is to the same scale of the recent bushfires, following which the Federal Government allocated $76 million for an industry recovery package.