WA Just Hit 1 Million International Visitors: Here's Why Everyone Is Finally Coming (And Why You Should Too)

For years, Western Australia was the world's best-kept secret. A massive expanse of turquoise coastlines, ancient red deserts, and world-class vineyards tucked away on the other side of the continent, largely kept to itself.

That's no longer the case. Western Australia has officially broken its own visitor record, welcoming 1.024 million international visitors in the 12 months to October 2025. That's a single rolling year, measured from November 2024 to October 2025, and the strongest 12-month period WA has ever recorded, the highest number ever recorded in the state's history. It smashed the previous pre-COVID benchmark and made WA the nation's top-performing state for international tourism recovery two full years ahead of Tourism Research Australia's own national forecast.

So what's pulling a million people across the world to the West? And more importantly, should you be one of them?

The Numbers at a Glance

- 1.024 million international visitors in the 12 months to October 2025 (a single rolling year) an all-time record
- 11 million overnight visitors across the state
- 29 million day-trippers exploring the regions
- 24 international airlines now flying into Perth, connecting to 20 global cities
- 160% of pre-COVID cruise tourism levels

The Secret Is Out, and the World Has Taken Notice

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby summed it up best: "More than a million international visitors in a year is an incredible achievement, and to not only deliver international visitor recovery ahead of the nation, but exceed it by 28,000 visitors, is a phenomenal result for Western Australia."

For decades, WA sat quietly in Sydney's harbour, the Great Barrier Reef, and Melbourne's laneways. International travellers would fly into the East Coast and rarely venture further. In 2026, that narrative has fundamentally changed.

WA is now connected to 20 global cities via 24 international airlines, with international seat capacity running at 131% of pre-COVID January 2019 levels. Qantas has expanded its Rome–Perth direct service, adding 44 flights and nearly 10,000 inbound seats for European travellers alone. Non-stop services from Auckland and Johannesburg have added an estimated 80,000 inbound seats annually. Getting here has never been easier.

What's Pulling Them In? The Experiences Winning the World Over

This isn't a story about one attraction. It's a story about an entire state that offers something most destinations in the world simply cannot: space, authenticity, and untouched nature at an extraordinary scale.

Ningaloo Reef & the Coral Coast: A Marine World Like No Other

Ningaloo Reef is WA's biggest international drawcard right now. As one of the few places on earth where visitors can swim with whale sharks in crystal-clear water just metres from the shore, it has become a genuine bucket-list destination. Strong demand has been reported for marine wildlife tours, extended reef cruises, and coastal 4WD itineraries linking Ningaloo with remote beaches, national parks, and Aboriginal-guided experiences.

And Ningaloo's appeal now goes beyond daylight hours. WA's investment in astro-tourism, leveraging the Outback's virtually zero light pollution, has turned the Exmouth region into a haven for stargazers. Visitors arrive for the whale sharks and end up staring at a Milky Way so close it feels touchable.

Browse Exmouth & Coral Bay accommodation | Explore whale shark tours in Exmouth

Margaret River: A Global Culinary Capital That Also Surfs

International footfall to Margaret River has increased by 15% as its reputation as a world-class food and wine destination has gone global. With over 200 sprawling vineyards, artisan cheesemakers, chocolatiers, award-winning restaurants, and surf breaks that draw professionals from every continent, Margaret River has become a multi-layered destination where no two days look the same.

Visitors increasingly combine wine tasting with mountain biking, guided hiking, and coastal cliff walks. The region's appeal is no longer seasonal or niche; it's a year-round destination that keeps on growing.

Browse Margaret River accommodation | Explore Margaret River wine tours

The Kimberley: Raw, Remote, and Utterly Unforgettable

Despite its remote nature, the Kimberley is recording unprecedented bookings for high-end expedition cruises and scenic flights, as travellers actively seek out the rugged, untouched beauty of WA's far north. The Horizontal Falls, ancient gorges, the Bungle Bungles, and the tidal phenomena of the Kimberley coast have become the calling card of a new category of traveller, one who chooses wild over convenient.

New immersive Aboriginal cultural experiences, including the Munbula Cruise led by Ngarinyin Traditional Owners along the Chamberlain River, featuring Dreaming stories and insights into the region's sacred landscapes, are adding a depth and meaning that no other destination on earth can replicate.

Browse North West & Kimberley accommodation | Explore Kimberley scenic flights & tours

Perth & Fremantle: Australia's Western Gateway Is Having Its Moment

Perth has quietly transformed into one of the most liveable and visitable cities in the Southern Hemisphere. Cottesloe Beach, Kings Park (the largest inner-city park in the world at 1,003 acres), Elizabeth Quay, and Fremantle's vibrant arts and dining scene are now drawing visitors who once passed straight through to the regions.

In 2026, the luxury Hyde Hotel opened in Perth's heart, and Fremantle's iconic Warders Hotel has been reborn as Garde, signalling that Perth's accommodation scene is levelling up to match its ambitions as a truly global city.

Browse Perth & Fremantle accommodation | Things to do in Perth & Fremantle

It's Not Just the International Crowd, West Australians Are Exploring Their Own Backyard Too

The million-visitor headline might be the big story, but domestic travel remains the backbone. Approximately 8.7 million Western Australians travelled within their own state in 2025, spending $7.9 billion keeping regional communities, roadhouses, and local operators thriving from Esperance to Exmouth.

Interstate visitation also increased by 12% year-on-year, the second highest growth nationally. Australians from the east coast are increasingly choosing WA over international destinations, and once they arrive, they tend to venture far beyond Perth.

Why Now Is the Perfect Time Before the Crowds Arrive

WA's tourism strategy is built around sustainable, regenerative growth, not mass tourism. The guiding philosophy of the state's 2026–2030 strategy says it all: "We don't want to just be the most visited; we want to be the most loved and the best preserved."

What that means for you right now: WA's most extraordinary experiences- the reef swims, the Kimberley gorges, the wine valleys, the starlit outback nights- are still accessible, still intimate, and still breathtakingly uncluttered compared to similar experiences anywhere else in the world.

The window to experience WA the way it was meant to be experienced with space and stillness is real. But the word is out, and it won't stay this way forever.

How to Plan Your WA Trip (And Why Booking Local Matters)

WA is bigger than Western Europe, which means how you get around matters as much as where you go. Here's how to make the most of it:

Hire a car or campervan from Perth Airport. The Indian Ocean Drive, the South West road trip loop, and the drive north to the Coral Coast are some of the greatest self-drive journeys in the world. WA Holiday Guide offers car hire and campervan rentals to get you on the road fast.

Book accommodation early, especially for Ningaloo and the Kimberley. With record visitor numbers, top-rated properties in Exmouth, Coral Bay, Broome, and Kununurra are filling faster than ever. Shoulder season (April–May and September–October) offers the sweet spot of great weather and better availability.

Don't skip the tours. The whale shark swims, Aboriginal cultural experiences, scenic flights over the Kimberley, and wine tours through Margaret River can't be replicated by driving past. These are the moments that become stories.

Lock in travel insurance. WA's scale means some of what you'll want to see is genuinely remote. Having cover gives you the freedom to explore without limits.

Ready to Visit Western Australia?

WA Holiday Guide is WA-owned and operated. We know this state better than anyone. Whether you're planning a self-drive road trip, a reef adventure, a family escape to the South West, or a luxury Kimberley expedition, we've got everything you need in one place.