Tourism Council WA chief executive officer, Evan Hall, last week called on the State Government to boost the state’s tourism marketing by $27 million after the latest quarterly Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed tourism accommodation venues with 15 or more rooms in the South West at just 44 per cent occupancy.

Occupancy rates in the Coral Coast - Carnarvon, Exmouth and Shark Bay – and Golden Outback – Esperance and Kalgoorlie – regions are running at 65 and 67 per cent, while the September quarter figures showed Perth with a record 86 per cent occupancy level and the state’s North West at 77 per cent overall and up to 93 per cent hotel occupancy in some towns.

“Hotels are booming in Perth city and resource towns from business travel, while tourist towns are falling behind,” Mr Hall said.

He said WA was losing leisure tourists from the eastern states and needed a funding boost “to market our regional tourism destinations”.

“Regional tourism organisations are doing a brilliant job promoting local hotels and attractions, but a funding boost will entice visitors back to their regions and spending money in the local economy.”

The AMRTA undertook a marketing push in December and is involved with a consolidated marketing campaign for the region, with Tourism WA and Australia’s South West for early this year.

Chief executive officer, Simon Ambrose, said: “The Margaret River region has experienced a decline in accommodation occupancy in the wake of significant challenges in 2011.

“We are finding that visitors are not staying in the region as long and are spending less, however, there are more day trippers and those staying overnight are seeking alternative forms of accommodation such as staying with friends and family.”