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Western Australia’s Tourism Minister, Rita Saffioti, announced plans to pursue hosting an Indian Premier League (IPL) friendly match at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Western Australia’s Tourism Minister, Rita Saffioti, has unveiled plans to bid for hosting an Indian Premier League (IPL) friendly match at Perth’s Optus Stadium. This initiative is part of a larger effort to attract more visitors, especially from India, to the region.
The announcement aligns with the launch of a new tourism campaign, which features Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and his son Harry. Set to debut in Mumbai and Delhi on August 19, the campaign aims to highlight Perth and its surrounding areas as top destinations for Indian travelers. Minister Saffioti highlighted the potential economic benefits that hosting an IPL match could bring.
The campaign led by Adam Gilchrist showcases a range of attractions around Perth, such as four-wheel driving and sandboarding in Lancelin, stargazing at the Pinnacles, wine tasting in Swan Valley, and dolphin watching in Rockingham. These activities will be promoted through various social media platforms.
India has emerged as a key tourism market for Western Australia, with 34,000 visitors injecting USD 128 million into the local economy for the year ending March 2024.
Since 2019, India has moved up from the 11th to the 7th largest tourism market for the state, bolstered by a growing Indian community of around 61,000 residents and 9,600 international students in WA.
This 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 are part of the state’s renowned “Walking On A Dream” destination brand.
Recent data from Tourism Australia reveals that Western Australia led all states in total visitor spending compared to 2019, with travelers contributing a record USD 17.9 billion in the year ending March 2024.
