UK joins global surge boosting Western Australia tourism

Western Australia is preparing for a record year in 2025, with forecasts indicating visitor spending could climb beyond 19 billion US dollars as the United Kingdom joins China, India, France, Japan and New Zealand among the state’s strongest international tourism markets.

Visitor Economy Builds on Record 2024 Results

Recent tourism data shows Western Australia entering 2025 from a position of strength, following a series of record visitor spend results across 2023 and 2024. Publicly available figures from the state government and Tourism Research Australia indicate that total visitor expenditure in Western Australia reached close to 18 billion Australian dollars for the year ending March 2024, significantly above pre‑pandemic levels and pointing toward continued growth.

This momentum is being underpinned by both domestic and international travellers, but the international component is accelerating as aviation capacity rebuilds and long‑haul travel normalises. Industry commentary and government briefings have highlighted that travellers are staying longer and spending more, particularly in key gateway Perth and in regional areas that are attracting high‑yield nature and adventure visitors.

On current trajectories and using recent growth rates as a guide, analysts following the state’s tourism strategy suggest Western Australia is on track to push visitor spending beyond the equivalent of 19 billion US dollars in 2025. That figure would place the state firmly on the map as one of Australia’s strongest performing visitor economies relative to population size, and would mark another step toward Western Australia’s longer‑term objective of 25 billion Australian dollars in annual visitor expenditure by 2033.

The expected uplift aligns with national forecasts from Tourism Research Australia, which project international visitor spend across the country to expand again in 2025 as more markets surpass pre‑COVID levels. Western Australia has been identified as one of the standout states in those national recovery figures, driven by rapid growth in international arrivals and spend over the past two years.

United Kingdom Emerges as a Key Growth Engine

The United Kingdom is set to play a central role in Western Australia’s next phase of tourism growth. UK travellers have historically been among Australia’s most valuable long‑haul markets, combining relatively long stays with higher per‑trip spend. International visitor survey data for the year to 2025 show the United Kingdom firmly positioned among Australia’s top source countries for visitor numbers and expenditure, and Western Australia is capturing a growing share of that market.

State‑level tourism data released in late 2025 indicate that UK arrivals into Western Australia have climbed strongly compared with the early post‑pandemic period, contributing to double‑digit growth in international visitor nights and spend in the state. Perth has benefited from improved long‑haul connectivity and marketing campaigns targeted specifically at British travellers, while regional icons such as Margaret River, Ningaloo and the Kimberley are featuring more prominently in UK travel media and tour programs.

Travel trade reports suggest that British visitors are drawn to Western Australia’s climate contrast with the northern hemisphere winter, its beaches, wine regions and wildlife experiences, as well as the perception of space and safety. As air capacity continues to rebuild on UK–Perth routes, tourism analysts expect UK‑origin spending in Western Australia to reach new records in 2025, making it one of the largest single contributors to the targeted 19‑billion‑dollar visitor spend.

The UK’s strengthening performance also diversifies Western Australia’s international visitor mix. Alongside strong Asian markets, a resurgent stream of European arrivals reduces concentration risk and supports a more resilient visitor economy in the face of currency shifts or regional disruptions.

China and India Lead High‑Growth Asian Markets

China and India are forecast to be two of the most powerful drivers of Western Australia’s visitor economy in 2025. National and state tourism statistics show both markets surging back, with sharp increases in arrivals and total expenditure through 2024 and into 2025. China, in particular, has re‑emerged as Western Australia’s top market by visitor spend, even as total visitor numbers remain in recovery mode compared with pre‑pandemic peaks.

Renewed aviation links, an expanded program of tourism cooperation and targeted marketing in major Chinese cities are helping to support this turnaround. Package tours, education‑related visits and independent travellers are all contributing to longer stays and higher spending per trip in Western Australia’s urban and regional destinations. High‑value experiences such as premium wildlife encounters, winery visits and coastal touring are especially popular with Chinese travellers.

India is also recording some of the fastest growth rates among Western Australia’s source markets. Broader trends, including a growing Indian middle class, rising outbound travel and deepening people‑to‑people links through education and migration, are lifting demand for Australian holidays. National tourism forecasts identify India as one of Australia’s fastest‑growing long‑haul markets, and public data suggest that Western Australia’s share is increasing as awareness of Perth and regional WA expands.

Together, Chinese and Indian visitors are expected to account for a substantial portion of Western Australia’s projected visitor spend uplift in 2025. Higher‑yield segments, such as multi‑generational family travel, special‑interest tours and combined business‑leisure trips, are particularly important in translating rising arrival numbers into the kind of spending that pushes the state toward and beyond the 19‑billion‑dollar mark.

France, Japan and New Zealand Reinforce Western Australia’s International Mix

France, Japan and New Zealand add further depth to Western Australia’s international tourism portfolio and are expected to contribute meaningfully to visitor expenditure in 2025. International visitor survey results for the year to mid‑2025 show that all three markets are recording steady growth in arrivals and nights in Australia, with Western Australia featuring as an increasingly prominent destination within national itineraries.

French visitors, while smaller in volume than some Asian markets, tend to stay longer and explore regional areas extensively, which supports higher per‑trip spending. Reports from tour operators and booking platforms indicate growing interest in Western Australia’s outback landscapes, coastal drives and wine regions among French travellers seeking nature‑based and food‑and‑wine experiences outside traditional east‑coast routes.

Japan has long been a major source market for Australia, and recent statistics point to a solid recovery in Japanese travel to Western Australia as air capacity is restored. Japanese travellers are drawn to Western Australia’s relatively mild climate, unique wildlife and marine attractions, and the convenience of direct and one‑stop connections into Perth. Industry commentary suggests that younger Japanese visitors and repeat travellers are increasingly adding Western Australia to multi‑destination itineraries that also include other parts of Australia.

New Zealand, as Australia’s closest international neighbour, continues to provide a reliable and high‑value stream of visitors. Although New Zealand travellers may stay for shorter periods on average than some long‑haul markets, the frequency of travel and strong family and business links support robust spending patterns. As Western Australia promotes new events and short‑break packages tailored to trans‑Tasman travellers, New Zealand is expected to remain a crucial component of the state’s international visitor base in 2025.

Strategic Focus on Aviation, Regions and High‑Yield Experiences

Underlying Western Australia’s ambition to surpass 19 billion US dollars in visitor spending in 2025 is a long‑term strategy focused on aviation access, regional dispersal and high‑yield tourism experiences. The Western Australia Visitor Economy Strategy to 2033 sets out a framework to grow overall visitor expenditure to 25 billion Australian dollars annually by that year, emphasising investment in destination branding, events, Aboriginal tourism and product development across the state.

Recent public statements and planning documents highlight aviation as a central pillar of this strategy. Securing and sustaining direct and one‑stop services from the United Kingdom, China, India, Japan and New Zealand is regarded as critical to unlocking higher‑spending segments and encouraging longer stays. Perth’s role as a gateway is being reinforced through airport upgrades, marketing partnerships with airlines and campaigns in key origin cities.

At the same time, there is a concerted push to spread the benefits of tourism more evenly across Western Australia. Data for the year ending June 2025 show that international trips to regional areas have risen, with spending growth outpacing visitor numbers in some regions. Investments in accommodation, touring infrastructure and visitor experiences in locations such as the Kimberley, Coral Coast, South West and Golden Outback are designed to increase nights and expenditure per visitor.

With the United Kingdom joining China, India, France, Japan and New Zealand as leading contributors to Western Australia’s visitor economy, the state enters 2025 with a diverse and increasingly resilient portfolio of international markets. If current trends in arrivals, length of stay and per‑visitor spending continue, tourism analysts expect Western Australia to set new records in visitor expenditure, further entrenching its position as one of Australia’s tourism success stories.