Perth offers to host Indian Premier League friendly to attract more visitors

Western Australia'sTourism Minister Rita Saffioti revealed plans to bid for hosting an Indian Premier League (IPL) friendly match at Perth's Optus Stadium. This initiative comes as part of a broader strategy to attract more visitors, particularly from India, to the region.

The announcement coincides with the launch of a new tourism campaign, featuring Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and his son Harry. Set to debut in Mumbai and Delhi on August 19, the campaign shows Perth and its surrounding areas as prime destinations for Indian tourists. Minister Saffioti emphasized the potential economic benefits of hosting an IPL match.

The Gilchrist-led campaign highlights various attractions around Perth, including four-wheel driving and sandboarding in Lancelin, stargazing at the Pinnacles, wine tasting in Swan Valley, and dolphin watching in Rockingham. These experiences will be promoted through social media channels.

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India has become a priority tourism market for Western Australia, with 34,000 visitors contributing USD 128 million to the local economy in the year, ending March 2024.

The state has seen India rise from its 11th to 7th largest tourism market since 2019, driven by a growing Indian community of approximately 61,000 residents and 9,600 international students in WA.

This new initiative builds on the success of the global "Drive the Dream" campaign, which featured Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo exploring Australia's Coral Coast. Both campaigns align with the state's acclaimed "Walking On A Dream" destination brand.

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Recent figures from Tourism Australia show that WA outperformed all other states in total visitor spend compared to 2019, with a record USD 17.9 billion spent by travelers in the year ending March 2024.