17 September 2026 | The Australian Hotels Association (WA) has today welcomed a record year for Western Australian tourism, saying strong visitor numbers and spending demonstrates the value of sustained investment in attracting visitors and major events to the State.
New Tourism Research Australian data shows visitors spent $19.2 billion in WA in 2025, with 11 million overnight visitors recorded, while regional WA attracted $6 billion in visitor spending.
AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods AM said the results were good news for the State’s accommodation hospitality sector.
“Hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants are where much of the visitor economy comes to life,” Mr Woods said.
“When visitors come to WA, they need somewhere to stay, somewhere to eat and somewhere to spend time. That creates jobs and economic activity across our industry.”
Mr Woods said long-term investment in attracting visitors and major events pays off, especially given WA’s geographic isolation and global competition.
“WA cannot simply rely on being discovered. People must have a reason to come and major events, conferences and business are an important part of that strategy,” Mr Woods said.
“WA’s strong events calendar is the result of strategic investment in bidding for major events and destination marketing.”
He said major events spread visitor spending across Perth and the state, while strong regional spending highlighted the importance of visitation beyond the capital.
“Regional hospitality businesses are a vital part of the visitor economy,” he said.
“Western Australia has had an outstanding year for tourism, and the hospitality industry can be proud of its role. We need to keep building on that momentum and continue investing in visitors, events and the economic opportunities they create.”
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For more info, contact Kim Forrester, media & communications executive on 0411 777 593 or mecom@ahawa.asn.au
