A new tourism-focused division within the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) has been created.
WA's national parks are home to about 500 tourism businesses, with DBCA managing award-winning attractions like the Kalbarri Skywalk and the Tree Top Walk, as well as UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Ningaloo Coast and Shark Bay. To further support tourism within WA's conservation estate, DBCA's new nature-based tourism division will be charged with driving new commercial tourism projects in national parks. It will also support the Department's industry relationship management, tourism operator licensing, and new tourism opportunity development. To support the division, DBCA will also establish a Nature-based Tourism Industry Reference Group, with representatives from Tourism Council WA, tourism operators and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI). More information about DBCA Nature Based Tourism can be found here Western Australia has been confirmed as the host of the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) Conference and Annual General Meeting in 2025, which will attract more than 150 industry leaders.
The annual conference will bring together some of Australia's top industry representatives to discuss the sector and learn more about WA's various onshore experiences and port capabilities, running from 3-5 September 2025. Cruise ships continue to form an important part of Western Australia's tourism industry and economic diversification agenda, with a record $333.5 million generated in economic impact for the State in 2022-23, which created more than 1,000 local jobs. More information about the ACA Conference here. The WA Government has released the Collie Tourism Prospectus, calling on business operators to become a part of Collie’s tourism evolution.
Tourism has been a very successful part of the efforts to transition the region away from a coal-based economy to a more diverse and sustainable future. Since the transition work has begun, visitor numbers in Collie have increased by over 73%. The iconic Wellington Dam mural continues to attract local and international visitors, and the final stage of the $10 million Adventure Mountain bike trails in the Wellington Forest is to be open in Summer 2023-24, it is expected these numbers will continue to rise as Collie’s reputation as a premier adventure destination in WA’s South West grows. The success of these attractions means that Collie is now facing high demand for new accommodation, and food and beverage offerings. Some of the future tourism-friendly offerings may include: » Accommodation: upmarket couples and family accommodation » Boutique brewery » Accommodation support industries » Café/restaurant style eateries » Mountain biker friendly offerings » Aboriginal cultural offerings » Eco/nature tourism offerings » Heritage, arts and culture offerings View the prospectus here As part of the recent State Government 2023-24 Mid-Year Review, the following tourism attractions are to benefit:
The Federal government has committed $10 million in funding to support the development of a national one-stop digital hub for tourism, travel and hospitality employers and workers.
This grant has been provided to Accommodation Australia to expand and promote its existing online platform, 'The Hub.' The Hub will serve as a national online skills and employment platform for the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry. It will connect workers with jobs, as well as upskilling and training opportunities for the homegrown and international workers that the industry needs. More information may be found here. Latest research from the Tourism & Transport Forum (Australia's peak industry group for the Australian tourism, transport and aviation sectors) has found that the South West region of WA has experienced the biggest growth in popularity in regional tourism across the country since the pandemic.
The biggest growth in visitors to the South West was among middle-aged Australians aged 30-64, with visitation nearly 19 per cent above pre-COVID levels, followed by Australians over 65 with a 15 per cent increase, then young people under 30 with an eight per cent increase. Among WA residents, the greatest surge in popularity was for the North West region, with visitation nearly 37 per cent above pre-COVID levels. Read the TTF report here The latest statistics from the Australian Cruise Association highlight that more than 150 cruise ships have visited Western Australia and injected over $333 million into WA economy in 2022-23.
The State's cruise sector created more than 1,000 jobs for the state. The upcoming cruise season kicks off with the arrival of the Coral Princess on Saturday, 11 November, bringing 2,000 passengers into the Port of Fremantle. In 2023-24, cruise ships will visit WA more than 140 times across WA's seven active ports at Albany, Busselton, Broome, Esperance, Exmouth, Fremantle and Geraldton. Congratulations to:
Hospitality & Tourism recruitment initiatives launched to encourage older workers into the sector31/7/2023
The campaign is aimed at mature aged jobseekers and is supported by Tourism WA to address skills shortages in the industry and support the development and growth of local businesses.
Training and upskilling incentives are available for the cohort of jobseekers aged 45 years and over who are considering working in tourism and hospitality roles. This includes free training and job placement assistance through the WA Government's Job Reconnect Program, as well as up to $1,500 to cover work-related costs such as equipment and uniforms. WA tourism operators and businesses are being encouraged to recruit mature age employees through a range of State and Commonwealth Government incentives. More information about the program Tourism WA is set to implement a new Cruise Tourism Strategic Plan with the aim of growing economic and employment outcomes for Western Australia. The strategy aims to:
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