It has been a joy to welcome back interstate and international visitors and share our beautiful city with these markets once again.
Albeit a slow start, we are seeing momentum build as increasing numbers of visiting family and friends join us from the Eastern States, the UK, Europe and Asia. Remembering it is winter (typically our low-season), it has been fantastic to see people exploring Mandurah and experiencing our city. This brings great optimism and anticipation for the next half of the year, as our efforts to springboard Mandurah's tourism scene will come to fruition.
Already, Mandurah has been placed on the international stage with the announcement of a series of enormous wooden sculptures to call Mandurah home, when they are built and installed by their creator, internationally renowned Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo.
Dambo's sculptures in Western Australia is an Australian-first major cultural tourism project that is anticipated to bring thousands of visitors to Mandurah and the Peel region, in what will also be a boost for the local economy.
This free-to-view outdoor exhibition will feature at least five site specific works - each up to five metres tall - that will engage with stories of Mandurah through inspiration from the community. There has been huge excitement for the exhibition, and we are thrilled to hear people already planning a trip to Mandurah to witness the spectacle. Here at Visit Mandurah, we are leveraging this opportunity to support a strong return for tourism.
This month, I attended the 2022 Australian Tourism Exchange - Australia's largest tourism trade event. I had more than 120 one-on-one sessions with tourism operators from across Australia to highlight Mandurah's experiences and attract tourism opportunities.
We have also launched two key marketing activities that are targeted to international and intrastate visitors. We will be featured in the Australian Traveller magazine, showcasing Mandurah's unique tourism experiences.
Additionally, we have teamed up with Jetstar to feed information on Mandurah to anyone booked on a flight into Perth. Confirmation emails and digital ads will promote our incredible city and encourage visitation. Our focus with this activity is to attract visiting families with children. We will be promoting the Christmas Lights Trail and offering a 20% discount on Mandurah experiences.
There's no denying Mandurah is a serious competitor in the tourism industry. The City's transformation in recent years has changed how people think about Mandurah. We are now known as a family friendly holiday destination for nature lovers and those seeking recreation along our stunning waterways.
Our task now is to bolster this momentum and deliver outcomes that supports a strong return for the tourism industry.
Here at Visit Mandurah, we are excited about the opportunity to support this.
- Anita Kane is the Visit Mandurah manager