World’s surfing elite take to Margaret River swell
The eyes of the surfing world are firmly fixed on Australia’s South West this week, as the 2024 Margaret River Pro kicks off. A World Championship Tour event, the Pro attracts surfing's global elite, with the world’s best men and women surfers competing for championship points. More than 50 competitors are taking on the famous swell at Main Break, Margaret River. The Margaret River Pro has been proudly supported by Tourism WA since 1999. Read more here.

Header image and above image credit: Aaron Hughes
 

Industry expertise coming to Maximum Occupancy West Coast Conference
The inaugural Maximum Occupancy West Coast Conference is set to be held on Tuesday, 16 April in Perth. The one-day conference will feature more than 50 national and global industry experts, with the keynote to be delivered by Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Rita Saffioti. Tourism WA Managing Director Carolyn Turnbull will join Australian Hotels Association Western Australia CEO Bradley Woods and Business Events Perth CEO Gareth Martin for a panel discussion on what the future holds for WA's tourism and accommodation industry. Register here.

Youth water polo making a splash in WA in 2025
Water Polo Australia’s largest annual event is returning to Western Australia next year, supported by Tourism WA. The Australian Youth Water Polo Championships will take place in Perth from 14-24 April 2025. Last year’s youth water polo event attracted over 6,000 out-of-state spectators, athletes, coaches and officials to WA, generating more than $23 million in visitor spend. The 2025 Championships are expected to make an equally big splash and once again attract thousands of out-of-state visitors. Read more here.

Accessible Esperance featured in weekend travel magazine
Esperance was front and centre in a Traveller magazine feature on the weekend, following a Tourism WA-supported famil. The road trip-focused article featured Heyscape’s new accommodation offering at Yirri Grove, Fly Esperance and Esperance Coastal Tours, among other businesses. Traveller is a lifestyle supplement included in east coast publications The Saturday Age and Sydney Morning Herald, and has a readership of 938,000. Find out more about Traveller here.

UK series showcases WA to millions
Tourism WA recently collaborated with a TV production company to deliver a five-part television series, reaching 3.3 million viewers in the UK. ‘John & Lisa’s Food Trip Down Under’ follows celebrity chef John Torode and his wife, television presenter Lisa Faulkner, as they take a road trip from Perth to Pemberton. Also supported by Qatar Airways and Trailfinders, each episode averaged 561,000 viewers with PR coverage driving extra reach, including 26 radio interviews. Trailfinders saw a 226 per cent increase in traffic to its dedicated Western Australia pages. Read more here.

Registrations for 2024 WA Trails Forum close today
Today is the last chance to register for the upcoming 2024 WA Trails Forum, on Friday, 19 April. The forum will focus on key areas including Aboriginal engagement, trail tourism and sustainable trail development, and will offer valuable networking opportunities. The forum is supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Trails WA. Read more here.

WA Tourism Conference early bird registrations open
Registrations are now open for the 2024 Perth Airport WA Tourism Conference, which will take place in Mandurah on 10-12 June. The conference is presented jointly by Tourism Council WA, Visitor Centres WA, Forum Advocating Cultural and Eco-Tourism, WA Indigenous Tourism Operators Council, and Caravan Industry Association Western Australia, and is supported by Visit Mandurah and Tourism WA. Early bird pricing is now available, with savings of $100 per conference ticket. Register here.

Registrations open for Busselton workshops
Registrations for Tourism Council WA’s Busselton workshops on May 28 and 29 are now open. Workshops include Free Publicity for Your Tourism Business, Effective Marketing for Tourism Businesses, Your Tourism Business Online: Google, SEO & SEM workshop and the Understanding Target Markets: Interstate & International workshop to target the right demographics for your business. This workshop will be followed by a Sustainability Briefing and Tourism Connect. Register here.  

Tune into Aviation Insights Webinar
Businesses interested in learning more about the aviation industry and trends are encouraged to join Tourism Council WA’s upcoming Aviation Insights webinar on Thursday, 18 April. The member webinar will include topics such as how many inbound visitors are coming to WA by plane, where they are coming from, and Western Australia's aviation recovery and growth post-COVID. The webinar is being held in partnership with Perth Airport. Register here.

Nominate for the WA Tourism Awards
Industry members are encouraged to nominate high-performing businesses for the 2024 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, which are now open. The awards, presented by Tourism Council WA, recognise tourism businesses for their commitment to excellence. With 27 categories to choose from, including festivals and events, adventure tourism, tours and transport, food, wine, accommodation, and accessible tourism, there is a category to suit every tourism business. Nominations close Wednesday, 29 May. Read more here.