Figures show increasing tourist arrivals at Perth

31/12/93

The New Year looks likely to be celebrated with an increase in passenger arrivals at Perth Airport.

Tourism Minister Colin Barnett said recent figures released by the Federal Airports Corporation had showed that arrivals to Perth were increasing, despite the end of Compass airline flights.

Mr Barnett said the summer period in Perth attracted the most visitors of the year.  However, he said that a high number of visitors was expected to continue throughout 1994.

Interstate air passenger arrival numbers for the past eight months to November increased by 14.7 per cent (from 468,000 to 537,000) compared with the same period in 1992.

Mr Barnett said this increase was also coupled with a rise of  23 per cent in the number of international arrivals to Western Australia during the first nine months of 1993.

The Minister said there was also an increase of 3.5 per cent in intrastate air passengers at Perth Airport during the year. Visitors travelling to WA by road across the Eyre Highway increased by nine per cent and visitors entering the State through Kununurra increased by 22 per cent.

Mr Barnett said the turnaround had been further confirmed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics tourist accommodation figures for the September quarter, which showed improvement in the number of visitors staying at hotels, motels and guest houses.

WA and the Northern Territory shared the nation's highest occupancy rates of more than 67 per cent of visitors using hotel, motel and guest houses.  WA had the highest increase in takings (18.7 per cent) and the largest increase in guest arrivals (21.3 per cent).

Caravan park takings in WA rose by 7.3 per cent to $12.8 million and the revenue from visitors using holiday flats, units and houses rose by 18 per cent to $5.2 million for the same quarter period.

Mr Barnett said improvements in accommodation revenue was generally Statewide, with Kalgoorlie/Boulder experiencing a 45 per cent increase and the Shire of Busselton recording a 31 per cent increase.

He said the upturn in visitor numbers showed a resurgence for WA's tourism industry which should be supported by the public as a benefit to the whole State.

"The continuing tourist growth depends on WA obtaining added airline capacity and the State's ability to encourage and support new infrastructure, including hotels and resorts in Perth and regional areas," he said.

Mr Barnett said a managed increase in tourists needed to also be supported by providing adequate services, facilities and world-class attractions.

The Minister has encouraged further growth and has set a target for the State's tourism industry to allow WA to attract one million international tourists in the year 2000.

Media contact:  Carolyn Vicars - 222 9699