Industry feedback highlights strong optimism, record visitor spending and opportunities for greater collaboration.
Western Australia’s tourism industry is looking ahead with renewed confidence, according to the findings of Tourism WA’s 2025 Industry Survey, which paints a positive picture of a sector continuing to build momentum while identifying key priorities for future growth.
The survey, the second conducted by the agency following its inaugural edition in 2025, gathered insights from 217 tourism businesses, primarily accommodation providers and tour operators, alongside 105 industry stakeholders, including visitor centres and local governments. Together, the respondents represent a broad cross-section of Western Australia’s tourism landscape.
Around two-thirds of participants expressed a positive outlook for the state’s tourism sector in 2025, reflecting a year that delivered record visitor numbers and an impressive $19.2 billion in visitor expenditure across Western Australia.
The findings underscore the industry’s confidence in the state’s tourism trajectory while acknowledging the challenges businesses continue to face. Rising operating costs and workforce shortages remained significant concerns throughout the year, yet respondents recognised Tourism WA’s ongoing role in supporting the sector through marketing, industry engagement and strategic initiatives.
Marketing emerged as the agency’s strongest-performing area and remains the industry’s highest expectation. Respondents also highlighted the importance of regular communication and access to reliable tourism data and market insights, which continue to help businesses make informed decisions and identify new opportunities.
Overall satisfaction with Tourism WA remained strong, with 65 per cent of respondents reporting a positive experience. The survey also identified opportunities to strengthen collaboration across the industry, improve issue resolution and expand support for regional tourism operators.
Acting on industry feedback, Tourism WA introduced several initiatives during the year, including expanded communications through electronic newsletters and webinars, regular operator roundtables, refreshed creative for its global Walking On A Dream destination campaign, enhanced support for tourism product development through the National Parks Tourism Experience Development (NPTED) program, and a redesigned corporate website featuring an upgraded Domestic Tourism Statistics (DoTS) dashboard.
The agency also continues to deliver industry-focused programs such as The Dream Collective, WA Dream Pass, the Trade Ready Induction Program (TRIP), the Affordable Airfares Program (AAP), and the Regional Events Scheme (RES) and Regional Events Program (REP), all aimed at strengthening tourism businesses and enhancing visitor experiences across the state.
Tourism WA plans to conduct the Industry Survey again in 2026, with year-on-year comparisons expected to help shape future strategies and guide investment decisions. The agency intends to publish the next set of findings and subsequent actions in early 2027, reinforcing its commitment to working collaboratively with industry to support the long-term growth and resilience of Western Australia’s visitor economy.
