An influx of visitor over the festive period did not necessarily translate to an economic boom for the tourism industry, according to stakeholders.
Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association joint CEO Sharna Kearney said the organisation had received mixed feedback from members about the summer period.
“Some are saying they have experienced good results, and others saying they are down on last year,” she said.
“Summer holidays do tend to attract a higher proportion of families and those visiting friends and relatives, which might mean that not all businesses will experience the same spike in numbers.
“We are also noticing that visitor’s expectations are changing, and they are actively seeking new, and engaging experiences.”
Registered Accommodation Providers of the Margaret River Region’s Debbie Noonan said providers within the group had reported a 30 per cent downturn in occupancy for this time of year.
“With the exception of the one week between Christmas and New Year, everything has stopped and Busselton bookings are looking like they are finishing this week,” she said.
“There are definitely a much higher number self-catering tourists who have different spending habits to regular tourists so these spends are normally not spread across all businesses.”
According to the latest statistics for the region, visitation from most markets, was on the up. International visitation is still below 2016 figures, but is showing signs of improvement.
The results are in line with TWA numbers, which show the state has seen an increase in domestic visitors.
They also reflected the results from the latest International Visitor Survey, which revealed every state in Australia had experienced increases in visitor numbers and spend, except WA and the Northern Territory.
Shadow tourism minister Libby Mettam said the figures underpinned the opportunity for WA to draw more visitors to the region.
“Locally, the Margaret River region remains the number one regional destination, but has experienced a 3 per cent decrease in international visitors,” she said.
“This is also backed up by national figures which indicate relatively robust interstate demand for tourists to this region, underlining the Busselton Margaret River Airport business case, which would activate interstate flights as a priority.”
Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said the increase in domestic visitors to WA was a solid start to delivering on the state government’s Two-Year Action Plan to grow visitor numbers.
“It’s not just about the city, it’s about all regions and we are looking forward to a blockbuster year of events across the state, including the launch of Western Australia Gourmet Escape which heroes Margaret River.”
As for the international figures, Mr Papalia said figures suggest the McGowan government’s efforts to kick-start WA’s tourism sector were working.
“In the year ending September 2018, we welcomed more than 11.5 million overnight visitors (international and domestic) – this is the most visitors we’ve had in the past four years,” he said.
“While there is more work to be done, initiatives such as the recently announced Tokyo to Perth direct flights deal, mean we are well-placed to strengthen our position with international markets.
“We are putting enormous effort into securing more direct flights to Perth and Tourism WA is working with industry to reset the State’s marketing approach, with work on WA’s brand story underway.”
