Tourism Western Australia recently wrapped up a roadshow to India, the first in-market roadshow since international borders reopened.
The roadshow, hosted by Tourism Western Australia and Business Events Perth (BE Perth) saw 16 Western Australia hotels, attractions and regional tourism organisations present their products to more than 300 Indian agents in New Delhi and Mumbai. The face-to-face event also provided a platform for local operators to better understand and formulate the required strategies and capabilities to better prepare and welcome guests from the Indian market.
“Our focus sharpens on India as a key market, with the country’s proximity to Western Australia playing a pivotal part and providing us with a unique platform to showcase Western Australia’s business event offering, said BE Perth’s CEO Gareth Martin.
In 2018/19, Western Australia appointed an in-market representative in India, and more recently, appointed an in-marketing marketing agency, to make itself known to India’s vast market of over 1.4 billion people with a fast-growing middle-class segment looking to explore the world.
When asked what was the biggest challenge in attracting more Indian outbound travellers, a spokesperson from BE Perth shared that there is currently no direct flight from Western Australia to India. Currently, travellers heading to Western Australia from India connect via Singapore through Singapore Airlines, Scoot and Vistara, or via India and Kuala Lumpur through Malaysia Airlines.
As such, Western Australia’s deputy premier Rita Saffioti’s pointed out: “High on the agenda for this mission is securing a non-stop service between India and Western Australia – this is a huge aviation priority for our Government.”
Fortunately, Routes Asia 2025 jetting into Perth will provide a platform for Western Australia to showcase the state’s aviation opportunities to international carrier partners. Events such as Routes Asia 2025 also play an important role in opening the doors to India for overall tourism.
“MICE delegates who are satisfied with their experience will likely bring their own families back for leisure vacations and share their positive stories with their associates and friends, thereby further reinforcing the overall destination marketing messages being promoted about Western Australia,” stated the spokesperson.
In coming years, BE Perth aims to continuously court the Indian market through online and in-person interactions, such as fam trips for corporates, and participation in major tradeshows.
India was Western Australia’s seventh largest international market by visitor numbers in the year ending September 2023, with 27,000 visitors spending an estimated A$91 million (US$59.2 million) in the State.
