India now Western Australia’s 7th largest source market

Western Australia records 45,000 Indian visitors, a 21% increase from previous year.

Western Australia is now sharpening its focus on the Indian market, with plans to accelerate growth and deepen engagement in 2026. In an interaction with T3, Anneke Brown, Managing Director of Tourism Western Australia, shares insights on what lies ahead in the pipeline.

Visitor performance in 2025 & positioning

Brown shares that the destination recorded a strong post-pandemic rebound in 2025, welcoming more than one million international visitors in the 12 months to October, the strongest performance among all Australian states and territories. “In the year ending September 2025, India was a key contributor in terms of international visitors, with 45,000 tourist arrivals from the country, which is a 21% increase on the previous year, ranking India seventh amongst Western Australia’s top 10 international markets,” Brown says.

“Growth in international visitation has been supported by a strong calendar of global events across sport, food and wine, and entertainment, alongside extensive cooperative marketing campaigns to boost awareness of WA and drive visitor arrivals,” says Anneke Brown. She also points to continued investment in Aboriginal tourism and the growing participation in authentic Aboriginal experiences as key elements strengthening the destination’s appeal.

Looking ahead, Western Australia is now sharpening its focus on India. “For 2026, the focus shifts to accelerated expansion in the Indian market,” Brown adds.

WA’s tourism strategy for India

India continues to play a growing role in TWA’s international tourism strategy, emerging as one of the state’s priority growth markets. “In a market where travellers are spoilt for choice, differentiation is critical, and our approach has been two-fold.”

To strengthen market presence, TWA has been working closely with Indian trade and media partners through familiarisation programmes designed to showcase the destination’s experiences first-hand. “By turning those visits into credible, lived storytelling, we are enabling them to promote the destination in a more authentic and persuasive way,” Brown says.

Longer stays, Multi-city itineraries

The destination is focusing strongly on leisure travel while also recognising the significant role played by the VFR segment. “Around two-thirds of Indian visitors travel to visit friends and relatives, a segment that typically generates longer stays and strong repeat visitation. As a result, both holiday and VFR travellers are equally critical to the state’s growth ambition,” Brown explains.

To encourage longer itineraries, TWA promotes the destination as one that is best experienced over time, combining city experiences with nearby regions offering diverse landscapes and premium travel experiences. By showcasing how seamlessly city, coast, nature and wildlife experiences connect, TWA is also working closely with trade partners to convert inspiration into bookings through with ready-to-sell itineraries, duration guidance and pricing frameworks.

Trade Strategy

Strategic partnerships with the travel trade remain central to TWA’s efforts to expand its reach in the Indian market. “We collaborate with key tour operators and OTAs through joint marketing promotions, with a strong focus on enabling partners to communicate the value and experiences to Indian travellers,” says Brown.

Airline collaborations also form a key pillar of Western Australia’s market development strategy. TWA works closely with carriers to promote seamless connectivity into the destination. “We also work closely with airline partners like Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Scoot and Batik Air to promote one-stop services via Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to increase visitors to the destination.