City of Busselton Council has entered into a three-year funding agreement with local tourism organisation, Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association (MRBTA) to continue the delivery of visitor services to the city.
MRBTA is a self-funded not-for-profit, incorporated association with over 50 years’ experience in the tourism industry.
Council’s continued funding of $157,094 per annum, excluding CPI increases, will provide visitor servicing at the Busselton Visitor Centre and help maintain the exceptional 364 day per year service, the Council said in a statement.
MRBTA reported that during 2023/24 there was just over 1.4 million remote visitor interactions and 155,797 in-person interactions supported by the Centre.
Figures released by Tourism WA in May 2024 indicate that over the previous year, the City of Busselton received 895,000 visitors who stayed a total of 3.44 million nights in the local government area. Visitors spend a total of $838 million each year, with an average spend per trip of $936 and an average daily spend of $244 per visitor. The average length of stay in the City reported as 3.8 nights.
“The funding builds on the 15 year successful partnership between the City and MRBTA, which promotes the region as the destination of choice for events and unique tourism experiences,” said Mayor Phill Cronin.
“The delivery of visitor services on behalf of the City represents a cost effective investment towards tourism as a key economic driver for our community.
“I extend my gratitude to MRBTA for its vision and passion for the region, as well as the high level of service it provides to the tourism industry. I also congratulate MRBTA for its successful nomination for the 7News Top Tourism Town Awards that resulted in Busselton being named WA Top Tourism Town for 2024. Now a finalist in the national awards that will be announced next month.”
MRBTA CEO Sharna Kearney said, “We are extremely grateful for the ongoing partnership and support offered by the City of Busselton, which assists us to deliver a high-quality service to visitors, 364 days per year.”
“The Busselton Visitor Centre receives excellent reviews from visitors, who appreciate the in-depth interactions they have with our team when planning their holiday. The economic impact of these interactions is also clear, as the latest research shows that every person who uses a visitor centre spends an additional $150 in region as a result.
“We look forward to continuing to share Busselton’s unique offering with visitors as the region’s enviable tourism and event offerings go from strength to strength, and as town centre developments progress.”
