From August 23 to September 7, Destination Perth participated in the Japan Marketplace, Korea Marketplace and Vietnam Sales Mission, representing our region on an international stage.
Our attendance was made possible with the financial support of Perth Airport, whose contribution enabled us to join these important trade events. Tourism Western Australia (TWA) also attended, and we worked closely together to ensure strong representation for our state.
Western Australia remains relatively unknown in these markets, with many agents having long focused on East Coast destinations. For around 90% of the agents we met, WA is still considered an emerging destination. This highlights the importance of Perth's presence at these events, ensuring WA competes alongside the larger representations from Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. Notably, South Australia and Tasmania were not represented in Vietnam.
Japan demonstrated the strongest knowledge of WA products, thanks to TWA’s long-standing in-country representation. Across all three markets, Perth and its surrounding regions captured attention due to our low population, safety, nature-based tourism, wildflowers, culinary offerings, luxury shopping, and adventure experiences. Our unique positioning compared to the East Coast, along with a suggested 5-night itinerary and various day-trip options, resonated with agents.
Over the course of the three events, we engaged with nearly 200 agents, sharing the unique selling points (USPs) of our destination. Members who have participated in our international trade kit will soon receive the agent database, enabling direct connections with these valuable markets.
As we continue building awareness of WA in these growing markets, events like these play a critical role in promoting Perth as a must-visit destination.