The Hon. Reece Whitby, Minister for Tourism (WA), Media Release, 20 December 2025

International tourists have descended on WA in nation-leading numbers, with the State out-performing the rest of Australia for growth in overseas visitors.

The latest visitor data has WA on track for full recovery to pre-pandemic international visitor numbers by the end of 2025, with the State achieving 99.5 per cent of 2019 numbers in the year ending September 2025.

A total of 991,000 international guests arrived in WA in the 12 months to September 2025, up 17 per cent year-on-year and just 5,000 shy of 2019 levels of overseas visitor numbers.

The strong overseas recovery is thanks to the Cook Government’s continued focus on growing the WA tourism and hospitality sector, in line with its jobs and economic diversification focus.

Tourism WA’s Western Australia Visitor Economy Strategy 2033 aimed for full recovery of international visitors in 2025, and recognises the need to invest in Aboriginal tourism, accommodation and attraction, aviation, destination brand, events and a high performing industry.

WA’s tourism and hospitality industry is the fifth largest employer in the State, supporting over 120,000 jobs and $15.9 billion in Gross State Product in 2023-24.

Along with the surge in international holidaymakers, WA welcomed an increase in Australian travellers with interstate visitation increasing by 12 per cent year-on-year, the second highest in the nation.

WA was popular among the key markets of Japan, USA, UK and India with strong growth recorded, while China was WA’s top visitor market for spend, with the State welcoming 71,400 visitors from China who spent $488 million.

Direct flights between China and Perth will soon become a year-round fixture through China Southern Airlines, giving visitors more opportunity to travel to WA and helping turbo charge visitor numbers from this key market.

Western Australia is serviced by 23 airlines across 20 direct flight routes into Perth, solidifying WA as the western gateway to Australia and ensuring the State remains accessible and top of mind as a world-class destination.

Find out more at tourism.wa.gov.au.

Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Reece Whitby:

“I am incredibly proud to see Western Australia leading the nation in terms of international tourism recovery, with these new statistics showing international visitors are increasingly choosing WA as their holiday destination.

“To end the year with 99.5 per cent of international visitation recovered is a huge achievement and reflects the Cook Government’s focus on diversifying the State’s economy by investing in our tourism and hospitality sectors through major and regional events, new and resumed flight opportunities, a refreshed and strong global tourism brand and continued investment in developing new attractions.

“I’m confident Western Australia will continue to be the destination of choice for travellers as we’re home to such a diverse range of unforgettable locations, events, and businesses that guarantee more holidaymakers will choose our State in 2026.”