Tourism

CBD hotel owners are mobilising plans to ensure their properties remain competitive with the flood of new builds coming to market, with nearly $50 million in redevelopment applications across three

Perth's backpacker hostels are feeling the pinch in a sluggish economy, despite a currency related lift in the leisure travel market.

WA needs more artistic and cultural attractions that are unique to the state, and less bureaucracy, to achieve its potential as a tourism destination, industry players have told Business News.

Given its vast size, selling the state as a holiday destination is a complex business; but energising those who live in WA to tell the story might be the key.

The state’s tourism sector is reaping the rewards of a weaker dollar but more needs to be done to secure the full benefits of holiday spending and lower post-boom prices. Click through to see more on our tourism feature.

A plan to grow the state’s Aboriginal tourism offerings relies heavily on corporate participation.

Global hotel groups are descending on Leighton Beach as the next wave of development emerges.

Qantas has announced it will be reintroducing its Perth-to-Singapore route in late June, after shelving the flight path in May last year.

Is it a hobby, a passion or a side business? A Perth-based world expert on cruising says he’s happy to keep his specialty for the weekends.

RAC of WA has bought three regional tourist resorts for $33.7 million, from a subsidiary of Aspen Group.

James Packer's Crown Resorts is seeking to raise around $400 million through an issue of subordinated notes to help fund developments.

Malaga-based wireless products manufacturer Acurix Networks provided free WiFi to about 150,000 people on Rottnest Island last year, with the average user spending more than one and a half hours on the service.

From mid-July, China Southern Airlines will fly direct to Perth four times a week as the state government aims to reach 100,000 Chinese visitors to Western Australia by 2020.

The Broome tourism sector is targeting growth beyond its itinerant seasonal appeal, with strategies being developed to attract additional tourists and residents.

The world’s two top ranked one-day cricket teams, Australia and India, are set to head to Perth’s WACA Ground for World Cup games against minnows Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates in the coming week.

Quintessential Resources is set to relist on the ASX tomorrow after morphing into technology incubator Yonder and Beyond, but plans by three travel businesses, including George Michalczyk's Motive Travel, to undertake a backdoor listing through Red Gum Resources have fallen through. Click through to also see the BNiQ listing of 26 WA backdoor listings.

Preparing for the projected growth in nature-based tourism requires strategic planning and consultation.

Perth Stadium could deliver more than $291 million and 1,300 jobs each year to the Western Australian economy, however it will need to start bidding for major events now and market the stadium’s potential ready for its 2018 opening.

The state government’s strategy to double the value of the tourism industry to $12 billion by 2020 is on track (at $8.3 billion), however, the peak industry body is calling on a higher investment in marketing.

The tourism industry has called for the state government to do more to take advantage of a sharp fall in occupancy and room rates in the state's accommodation sector.

The Emirates Group will be the first airline to bring the Airbus A380 to Perth on a regular schedule.

Crown Resorts has announced the resignation of director Ashok Jacob, who has had a long association with the Packer family.

Domestic tourists spent $4.6 billion while visiting Western Australia in the year to September, which was 12 per cent more than the previous year and three times the average increase nationally.

The City of Stirling has announced its intention to build a $26 million pool at Scarborough Beach, amid the final planning stages of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority’s revitalisation of the area.

The number of international visitors to Western Australia each year has surpassed 800,000, with the state again recording the highest average trip expenditure per visitor for the country.

The state’s investment in Finbar’s Pelago property development may have become the subject of recent controversy, but some in Karratha’s small business community are in no doubt that the strategy is good for the Pilbara.

Margaret River’s annual food and wine festival has secured backing from the state government for at least another three years, with the funding commitment announced ahead of the event this weekend.

After two years battling bureaucracy, there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Catalina Adventures.

Tourism body Australia’s NorthWest has wrapped up a three-year campaign marketing the Kimberley region by winning a top prize at this year’s state tourism awards.

On-selling leisure getaways to those attending business conferences has proved lucrative for Cable Beach Resort.

Perth looks set to have its own indoor skydiving facility after Sydney-based leisure firm Indoor Skydive Australia announced it had signed an offer to lease a block of land in Belmont to construct a 4.2-metre vertical wind tunnel.

Broome’s Cable Beach Resort has taken top honours at this year’s tourism awards, also receiving recognition for its business and conference facilities, restaurant and catering services, and luxury accommodation.