Western Australia’s new global tourism campaign, Walking on a Dream, is a watershed moment for WA and will strongly support efforts to attract students, skills and investment to the State, says CCIWA CEO Chris Rodwell.
Launched today (September 6), the $15 million intrastate, interstate and international campaign invites travellers to visit WA “to explore the attributes that make WA a wondrous, dreamlike place”.
It features two WA-born Aboriginal performers, Rika Hamaguchi and Ian Wilkes, and is headlined by a reworked version of the famed Empire Of The Sun song, led by WA-raised frontman Luke Steele and musical partner Nick Littlemore.
The intrastate, interstate and international campaign will run across TV, press, radio, digital and social platforms, and will underpin Tourism WA’s marketing activities for at least the next five years.
It features a 60-second hero brand video running across key interstate markets from tomorrow, with international launches in Tourism WA’s 11 key overseas markets soon to follow.
Shorter 30-second videos highlight globally recognised destinations like Ningaloo Reef on the Coral Coast, the vineyards of Margaret River in Australia’s South-West, the iconic Perth city skyline and the Bungle Bungle Range of the Kimberley’s Purnululu National Park, in Australia’s North-West.
The creative concept was developed by long-term CCIWA member, The Brand Agency.
Unique tourism identity
“This unique new tourism identity for Western Australia will make our State truly shine in a crowded global marketplace and elevate WA as a destination of choice for travellers both interstate and internationally,” Premier Mark McGowan said.
“A thriving tourism sector is a vital part of our Reconnect WA strategy, which is all about re-engaging WA with the world to build an even stronger, more diversified economy, for the benefit of all Western Australian businesses and operators.”
Rodwell said the Walking on a Dream campaign “leverages our State’s unique character, reflecting our exquisite natural beauty and profound cultural heritage, while also reflecting that we are a place which embraces inspiration and connectedness”.
“Importantly, it reflects a strong investment by the State Government in building our tourism product. It will be critical that investment in Walking on a Dream is sustained over the next decade, with strong focus on international and interstate markets.”
The announcement backs CCIWA’s pre-Budget recommendations for a significant investment in ‘Brand WA’ to boost WA’s appeal to key global markets as a desirable place to relocate, study, holiday, invest and host business events.
Tourism Minister Roger Cook said: “Every country, every State is trying to rebuild and refresh their tourist industry. It is the toughest and most competitive tourism market the world has ever seen.
“In the year before COVID-19 the total visitor spend contributed $13.5 billion and 100,000 jobs to the WA economy,” he said.
“This new campaign will ensure that WA stands out as one of the world’s most unique, memorable and most desirable places to visit, now and well into the future.”
Is your business ready to go global? CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre (ITIC) is ready to help you. Contact the team for a free consultation on (08) 9365 7620 or via [email protected].