Western Australia Tourism Targets India, China, and UK Growth
Western Australia is ramping up its efforts to strengthen its international visitor markets, placing a strong emphasis on expanding ties with India and China. Tourism Western Australia is pursuing an ambitious strategy to boost the visitor economy to A$25 billion annually by 2033, supported by new direct aviation links and enhanced international engagement. According to Tourism WA Managing Director Anneke Brown, the state’s top international visitor markets include China and the United Kingdom. “China is our top market by spend, with 74,000 visitors spending $315 million in Western Australia in the year ending September 2024,” Brown said. She noted that the recovery in the China market has been driven by the return of direct flights such as China Southern Airlines’ Guangzhou-Perth service and China Eastern Airlines’ seasonal Chinese New Year flights from Shanghai. Brown also confirmed that discussions with aviation partners in China are underway to establish a year-round service.
While the UK remains a major market in terms of visitor numbers, with 114,000 arrivals in the same period fueled by visiting friends and relatives travel, Western Australia is increasingly turning its attention to the rapidly growing Indian market. Brown highlighted that India is now a priority inbound visitor market, with 37,000 visitors from India contributing A$83 million in visitor spend over the past year. “India has leapt to become Western Australia’s eighth-largest market for international visitors, climbing from 11th-largest in 2019,” she explained, attributing this accelerated growth to a large Indian community in Western Australia, which now numbers around 61,000 residents, including nearly 9,600 international students. Securing a direct India-Perth route has become the state’s top international aviation priority.
Western Australia’s strategy focuses on enhancing its international connectivity while leveraging its unique geographical position as “Australia’s Western Gateway.” Brown emphasized that the state remains the only one in Australia with nonstop connections to continental Europe and the UK through direct services with cities like Paris, Rome, and London. Over the past few years, the state has secured or relaunched nonstop flights to 20 international destinations, including major global cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Johannesburg, Manila, and Tokyo.
This push for improved air connectivity is set to receive a significant boost when Perth Airport becomes Qantas’ second-biggest international hub as part of a multibillion-dollar agreement. Perth Airport is investing around A$3 billion in new terminal facilities and a parallel runway, which is part of a broader A$5 billion investment program that also covers parking, transport infrastructure, and hotel development. This upgrade will enable an additional 4.4 million international seats to and from Perth, reinforcing the state’s status as a key travel destination.
The aviation initiative is part of Western Australia’s broader economic diversification efforts under the Diversify WA strategy. Tourism is a priority sector, and recent figures show that tourism expenditure in the state reached a record A$18.3 billion in 2023-24, with international markets playing a crucial role. While direct air links are under development, Tourism WA is also leveraging existing one-stop routes through key Asian hubs like Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore to boost bookings.
As Western Australia prepares to host Routes Asia, the state is eager to increase its global connectivity, advance aviation access, and reinforce Perth’s role as a premier international gateway. “We believe Western Australia is not just another state, it is one of the greatest places on the planet,” Brown stated, underscoring the state’s commitment to transforming its visitor economy and establishing itself as a world-class destination.
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