Tourism Western Australia has engaged tourism industry leader and former managing director of Tourism Australia, Andrew McEvoy, to help drive more visitors to WA.
During his 12-month consultancy, Mr McEvoy's focus will be to accelerate the growth of holidaymakers coming to WA by enhancing the implementation of the aviation and marketing strategies outlined in Tourism WA's Two-Year Action Plan.
WA’s tourism sector has been in decline in recent times. While every other State recorded double-digit growth in visitor numbers over the past three years, WA’s growth had stagnated or gone backwards.
According to an article by Kent Acott, Journalist, The West Australian, Mr McEvoy said that WA had many extraordinary experiences to tempt visitors.
“But we have to be clear in our messaging so that tourists know exactly why they would come to Perth,” he said. “They know exactly what they’re going to get in Sydney and the Gold Coast. They need the same clarity and definition about Perth and WA.
“And I think that messaging is around the river, the wide open spaces and the food and wine.”
Mr McEvoy said he would look to put together a detailed business case that he could present to airlines, showing the economic viability of direct flights.
Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said Mr McEvoy had more than 20 years experience in tourism and had developed many personal longstanding relationships with senior figures in key tourism markets.
“Mr McEvoy will be instrumental in our push for daily flights to and from China through China Southern, direct flights to Shanghai with China Eastern and direct flights to Tokyo,” Mr Papalia said.
The WA tourism industry will be keen to hear Mr McEvoy plans at the WA Tourism Council Conference in September, where he is one of the keynote speakers.