Western Australia increases its effort to attract Japanese visitors

7/7/05
The State Government will spend $1.5million on marketing Western Australia in Japan in a bid to lift tourist numbers to the State.
Currently leading a WA trade mission in Japan, Premier Geoff Gallop said Japan was a key target market for Tourism WA and the tourism industry.
"This funding boost is a 700 per cent increase on previous years and is part of the recent State Government injection of an extra $9.4million in tourism marketing funds," Dr Gallop said.
The Premier will meet with the Japanese tourism industry during his trip to send a strong message that his Government is committed to working with them to deliver 'The Real Australia' when they visit WA.
"More than 52,400 Japanese people visited WA last year - the second biggest source of international visitors behind the United Kingdom," Dr Gallop said.
"In addition, while Japanese visitor numbers to other States were flat last year, WA had a seven per cent increase.
"Japan is a key tourism market for us and we have recognised that there is significant potential to lift that number with more promotion and greater air access.
"Air access is very important to the growth of visitor numbers to WA from Japan.
"WA now has three direct Qantas flights a week from Perth to Tokyo and 19 a week via Singapore from Western Japan with Singapore Airlines.
"These regions are our focus, especially now that Qantas is using the A330 Airbus on its route, giving 30 per cent more seat capacity."
The $1.5million marketing effort will include:

• development of a Japanese-language consumer website by the end of 2005, so that information on WA is easily available to people planning a holiday in Australia;
• educational tours of WA for travel agents and Japanese journalists so that they can speak with experience to their clients and readers;
• promotion of WA via increased editorial coverage in popular magazines, newspapers and television; and
• advertising with our trade partners, including special offers from airlines and tour operators designed to convert awareness of WA into actual bookings.