Perth hosts world-class women's football cup
Fresh off the back of the 2024 Paris Olympics, WA has welcomed UK Women’s Super League (WSL) teams and France's Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain for the Perth International Football Cup, which kicked off at HBF Park yesterday. This WA-exclusive event features four matches between the four elite women’s football teams, providing a boost to local tourism and attracting global football fans. Surrounding events, including a Fan Festival and public screenings, will add vibrancy to Perth this weekend. Read more here.

United Cup 2025 returns to Perth this December
The United Cup 2025 is set to return to Perth’s RAC Arena from 27 December 2024 to 1 January 2025, drawing top tennis players from 18 countries. Over the past two years, the tournament has injected millions into WA's economy, showcased the state's attractions and attracted thousands of out-of-state visitors. The event includes a multicultural festival at The Plaza, in celebration of the participating countries and showcasing Perth’s vibrant culture. Read more here. 

Header image credit: Sean Scott

Registrations open for Tourism WA’s Industry Update
Tourism WA invites tourism businesses to join an industry update event on Tuesday, 17 September at Optus Stadium. Hear from the Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister, The Hon. Rita Saffioti MLA, along with a panel of representatives who will share information on current projects and Tourism WA Marketing Campaign activity. Registrations close Friday 13 September. Register here. 

Recruitment begins for TWA Managing Director
We are pleased to share recruitment activity is underway for a Managing Director for Tourism WA. Executive Search & Board Advisory Lester Blades has been engaged to assist Tourism WA with this process. The advert is now live, with the process expected to take approximately three months to identify a successful candidate. Steph Underwood will continue her leadership of Tourism WA until the commencement of the Managing Director, expected to occur in November 2024. 

Image credit: Scott Slawinski

IRONMAN WA triathlon secured for three more years
The WA Government has announced funding for IRONMAN Western Australia and IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia through to 2026, ensuring the events' continuation in Busselton. The IRONMAN Western Australia sold out earlier this week, and the 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship registrations have also all been snapped up. The events are anticipated to bring over $27 million to the South West economy, attracting thousands of global competitors and spectators. Read more here. 

Image credit: Daniela Tommasi

Perth Rugby SVNS Returns in 2025 General public ticket sales for the Perth HSBC Rugby SVNS went live on Tuesday, 27 August, and the popularity of last year's sold-out event is already evident for the 2025 edition. Expected to attract thousands of visitors to the state, the Perth edition of this global tournament will be hosted again at HBF Park over three action-packed days from 24 – 26 January 2025. Featuring the return of world-class rugby SVNS players, live music, bespoke food offerings, and all-day entertainment, the event is set to remain a fan favourite. Read more here.  

Image credit: Jarred Seng

WA wildflowers bloom in Better Homes and Gardens
Western Australia’s otherworldly wildflower season has been featured online for Better Homes and Gardens, featuring an interview with Wooleen Station owner Frances Pollock.  Secured through Tourism WA, Frances, who owns the station stay in Murchison, shared her insights into the season and the best places to see wildflowers.  The piece has reached an audience of more than 19,000 people. Read more here. 

Image credit: Sean Scott

India market in the spotlight
Tourism WA recently hosted an India Market Spotlight event in Perth, with over 50 tourism representatives attending. The event featured a panel discussion with Indian inbound tour operators, sharing market insights, key trade partnerships, and upcoming activities. Additionally, Tourism WA hosted a familiarisation tour for 10 Indian inbound tour operators, showcasing Perth, Rottnest Island, and the Margaret River Region. The next Market Spotlight will feature the Domestic market, with further details to come. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording here. 

WA's 'Drive the Dream' campaign shines in The Times of India
Tourism WA has garnered significant media attention in India through two features in India’s largest English newspaper, The Times of India. The features include the ‘Drive the Dream’ campaign with cricket legend Adam Gilchrist, promoting WA as a top destination for Indian travellers during the West Test later this year. Additionally, an exclusive interview with Gilchrist offers insights on the India-Australia series, highlighting Perth's role in hosting the event. Read the articles here and here. 

ATLAS launches accessible tourism website for WA's Mid West
The Access to Leisure and Sport (ATLAS) charity organisation has launched a new tourism website, enhancing accessibility in the Mid West of WA. Supported by the National Parks Tourism Experience Development program, the website offers a one stop approach to finding accessible and inclusive tourism offerings by bringing together a range of tourism providers under one platform, allowing individuals with disabilities to easily find and customise tours. View the site here. 

Image credit: Jaimen Hudson

Dream Collective program update
We have completed the assessment of applications for the inaugural Dream Collective program and are excited to announce that 144 tourism businesses have been accepted, with notifications to be sent to operators next week. Each applicant will also receive an assessment report detailing their performance in each criterion, highlighting strengths and, where needed, opportunities for improvement to achieve higher scores in future rounds. Congratulations to all successful applicants for the 2024/2025 program. Applications for the 2025/2026 program will open in early April 2025. 

Image credit: Osprey

2024 Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference program released
The full program for the annual Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference is now available for download. Running from 29-31 October 2024 in Melbourne, this conference is an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, explore new partnerships, and dive into discussions on youth, environment, culture, and the business of tourism under the theme 'Songlines – Cultural Threads'. Check out the program here. 

EV buggy wine tour strikes a chord
Fraser Gallop’s EV buggy wine tasting experience has been the core feature of a piece in Escape online and in print. Syndicated across seven titles, this coverage resulted from Tourism WA hosting a media group in the Margaret River Region in May to promote the launch of the direct Jetstar flights between Sydney and Busselton. The piece has reached more than 2 million readers. Read more here. 

Destination Perth launches new website and advertising program Destination Perth has unveiled its new corporate website, a central hub for members, industry, trade, and media offering resources, news, and member opportunities. Alongside, a new display advertising platform is now available, providing businesses a chance to connect with over 1.5 million annual visitors. Special subsidised rates are offered to members, with options for non-members. Explore the new website and advertising opportunities here. 

Upskill with regional tourism workshops
Learn about the latest information, research, and trends relevant to your tourism business by attending Tourism Council WA’s newly released workshops. Events are taking place in Perth, Carnarvon, Denham, Exmouth and Coral Bay in September, October and November. Learn more about Tourism Council WA’s training workshops here.

Registrations close soon for Network@Night
Join industry colleagues for a relaxed networking evening at the upcoming Network@Night on September 4 at Bells Functions. The event will include a policy and advocacy update from Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall, plus an update on industry recognition program The Dream Collective from Tourism WA. Registrations close on Monday, 2 September. Learn more and register here.