Western Australia brought in a record $14b tourism spend

Western Australia brought in a record $14b tourism spend

Western Australia achieved its highest ever annual visitor spend on record, with $14 billion spent in the WA economy by travellers in 2022.

Tourism Research Australia statistics released today show WA’s tourism recovery has led to a spending increase of $3.6 billion compared with 2021, and $500 million more than the previous record in 2019 before the pandemic.

Almost half of the record spend – about $6.8 billion – was injected into the regional WA economy.

“It is fantastic that we have set a new record of $14 billion for tourism spending,” WA tourism minister Roger Cook said.

“This is a huge injection into the WA economy, creating jobs and revenue right across the State. But we have ambitions to do much, much more.”

The spend included $2.84 billion in the South-West, $1.75 billion in the North-West, almost $1.1 billion in the Coral Coast and $1 billion in Golden Outback.

“These results show just how much momentum we have as a sought after tourism destination,” Cook added.

Interstate visitors spent $123 million more in WA in 2022 than in 2019, and from April to December 2022, WA was the top-performing State for growth in interstate leisure visitors, which was up 13 per cent compared with 2019.

Fortescue River in Millstream Chichester National Park in the Pilbara region Western Australia (iStock/chameleonseye)

WA was also a standout in bringing back international visitors, with nearly 380,000 overseas visitors coming to the state from April – December 2022. Half of WA’s international visitors came from the State’s top four global markets – the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand and India.

The India market saw the strongest recovery, with visitor numbers just 5 per cent behind pre-COVID levels, increasing its rank to the 4th top market from 9th in April – December 2019.

“With our new global tourism brand Walking On A Dream, an incredible line up of major events, 13 new direct flights to Perth and huge developments in our incredible natural assets and attractions, the eyes of the world are on Western Australia,” Cook concluded.

Tourism Research Australia’s International and National Visitor Survey results are the official sources of visitor statistics for Australia.


Featured Image: Pink lake in Perth, Western Australia (iStock/Limin Xiao)

Latest News

  • Famil

TravHost launches expert hosting service to transform industry famils

TravHost offers a pioneering service bridging the gap between media professionals, travel agents and tourism organisations, addressing the demand for exceptional famil hosts. Founded by seasoned travel media professionals Fiona Harper and Carolyne Jasinski, TravHost is poised to revolutionise the way tourism organisations and travel companies approach famils. With decades of experience in tourism and […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Travel Agents

Book big and bag a spot of the TTC Tour Brand’s Top Achievers’ Famil

TTC Tour Brands’ Top Achievers Famil incentive is back, rewarding top-selling agents with the chance to embark on an unforgettable trip to a destination that remains a secret – for now. Agents who have sold any Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki, from 1 December 2024 to 14 March 2025, go into the […]

  • Business Travel
  • Conferences

New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has announced it is opening its doors to New Zealand and world conferences and events in February 2026. The long-awaited NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the wider economy with its world-class facilities. Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, […]

  • Cruise
  • Events

AmaWaterways invites AU/NZ travel trade to An Evening with AmaWaterways events

AmaWaterways has announced the dates of its upcoming An Evening with AmaWaterways events for travel advisors, just over a year after it entered the Australian and New Zealand markets. Dedicated to travel advisors, the events will be held in six cities and will be hosted by AmaWaterways’ regional sales managers, plus feature a presentation from […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

Mooloolaba cruise season boosts Sunshine Coast tourism and trade

Mooloolaba is set to welcome a series of cruise ships through February and March 2025, significantly boosting local businesses and tourism to the Sunshine Coast. Their arrival is expected to create a vibrant atmosphere and provide a substantial economic uplift to the region. Viking Sky kicks off the season on Sunday 8 February, with 930 […]

  • Food & Beverage

Little Pete Brewing opens first of its kind open-air bar

Little Pete Brewing has opened a new open-air bar at 543 Step Rd, Langhorne Creek, a must-visit South Australia destination for a drink with a view. The first-of-its-kind open-air bar sits on 8ha, surrounded by vineyards and paddocks, with the Bremer River flowing nearby and framed by majestic ancient river red gums. “We always felt […]

  • Events

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025 with a one-of-a-kind activation that showcases their world-class event capabilities to inspire event planners and decision-makers. CENTREPIECE is located in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Victoria’s epicentre for live sports and entertainment and home to world-renowned venues including Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

NYC Tourism + Conventions announces two exciting new events

NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced ‘NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025’ and ‘Value Family Activities’ events lined up for this year. NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025 2-for-1 ticket sales for this event have begun with this season’s program featuring 29 Off-Broadway performances, including 18 new participants. The twice-yearly program runs from 17 February through 9 March with […]

  • Events
  • Tourism

Jeju wins bid to host 2028 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has successfully secured the 14th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC14) for Jeju in November 2028. This was achieved in partnership with the Korean Society of Microscopy, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Convention Bureau, and Jeju International Convention Center. Korea was selected as the final host after strong competition at the 13th […]

  • Cruise
  • Food & Beverage

Oceania Cruises sets new standard for onboard dining: one chef for every 10 guests

Oceania Cruises, renowned for The Finest Cuisine at Sea, has set a new standard for onboard dining with an exquisite new menu evolution in The Grand Dining Room. Launching on its newest 1,200-guest ship, Allura, in July 2025, the reimagined menus introduce over 270 brand-new recipes, from curated Signature Eggs Benedict breakfast selection to a chic French […]