The Australian Hotels Association (WA) has hailed WA’s record visitor spend in 2022, with the state’s hotels and hospitality venues directly benefitting from a strong post-COVID recovery.

AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods said despite the record expenditure by tourists last year, the latest data showed there are still significant opportunities for growth ahead, once airline capacity improved and traditional destination markets recovered.

“Following last year’s border reopening, WA’s tourism sector has rebounded rapidly, which is outstanding news for WA’s hoteliers, publicans, restaurateurs, and the tens of thousands of staff they employ,” Mr Woods said.

“In late 2019, WA was enjoying record levels of visitors from interstate and overseas, so it is reassuring to see that we are on a trajectory to return to these levels once airline capacity improves and airfare pricing stabilises.”

“Today’s data reflects the concerted efforts by State and Federal Governments, Tourism WA and Tourism Australia to ensure the tourism, accommodation and hospitality sector could bounce back strongly after prolonged border closures.”

“The focus on securing a series of successive major events has delivered a major boost for WA’s hotels, with Perth hotels regularly recording the highest occupancy levels in Australia in recent months.”

“It is critical that we maintain the momentum that has been built. The ongoing recovery of WA’s tourism sector can play an important role in offsetting other economic challenges that could present in the year ahead.”