After the devastatingly low visitor numbers of the COVID years, Perth is bouncing back, say local insiders, despite a decreasing trend over the past quarter.
New data in the Big Red Group Seasonal Experiences Index report shows that, while booking numbers are down, domestic traveller spending is up and international visitors are on the rebound.
Perth is the flavour of the month for international visitors, says Funcats owner Andrew Partington.Credit: Funcats
While Perth inner-city bookings took an 8.3 per cent dip over the 2024 autumn/winter season, Swan River Seaplanes and Funcats Watersports jetted the southern suburbs to a 62.6 per cent gain.
Funcats owners Andrew and Jane Partington said while COVID was an understandably hard time for many tourism operators, it had done some good to promote the capital as a safe and underrated destination.
“The feedback that we’ve been getting from overseas business is that Perth is very much on the radar,” Andrew Partington said.
“Perth is really flavour of the month right now.
“Maybe in the past it was Melbourne and Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef, but Perth is really in the mix, which is great news.”
Celebrating the business’ 50th anniversary this year, Partington also attributed the recovery of the industry to a community focus on supporting local.
He said that local support was tapering somewhat due to the cost of living crisis, but the international market was taking over to buoy the industry.
“It’s arguably the best location in the world for what we do,” he said.
“To be able to jump on your own little catamaran without a skipper on board and go for a sail in front of a major city, there’s nowhere else in the world you can do that.”
Tourism is being driven by water activities and sports such as whale watching, jet boat rides and kayak and catamaran hire.Credit: Funcats
There’s been further success for the Augusta, Margaret River and Busselton regions, where school holidays bookings helped secure a 17.7 per cent uplift.
Big Red Group chief executive David Anderson said despite tourism demand in WA softening post COVID, signs of recovery were showing.
“Overall we remain conservatively optimistic,” he said.
“While demand is down we are seeing basket size – the amount someone is spending this year compared to last – up 5 per cent.”
He said the cost to get to WA, especially following the Bonza and Rex airline closures, were creating headwinds for Perth operators.
But despite the difficulties facing the industry, it continued to be driven by the two extremes of the generational ends.
“Baby boomers with no mortgage pressure are out doing things for sure, and in the younger demographics we’re seeing a re-prioritisation of how they spend their money,” he said.
“The Instagram and TikTok effect shows an increasing number of people looking to social media platforms for inspiration.”
The Kimberley region also achieved a 6.8 per cent increase.
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