Domestic visitors spend $4.6bn in WA

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.

Released today, the quarterly results from Tourism Research Australia's National Visitor Survey showed 7.2 million people from around Australia, including those living in WA, travelled to and within the state in the 12 months to September.

According to Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall, the 7 per cent increase in domestic overnight visitors was driven by the state government’s investment in regional tourism marketing.

Mr Hall said the figures reflected the importance of marketing local attractions and regional tourism operators.

“These results show how government tourism investment is delivering tourism dollars and jobs back into regional areas,” he said.

“The industry anticipates the remaining $11 million state government election commitment to continue growing tourism dollars and jobs across WA during the next two years.

“It is essential for state funding to continue to attract increasing visitor numbers and dollars in regional areas into the future.”

Tourism in the state generates around 91,000 jobs.

Western Australians made up 84 per cent of overnight visitors within the state, and the highest number of interstate visitors came from Victoria, with 379,000.

According to the survey, 39.5 per cent of domestic overnight visitors to WA came for a holiday, while 31.8 per cent cited visiting friends and relatives, and 24.2 per cent were business travellers.

Tourism Research Australia last week released its International Visitor Survey results, with WA again recording the highest average trip expenditure per visitor for the country.