Latest news with #TourismCouncilWA
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Home and Away to film in WA for first time in TV drama's history
Home and Away will film in WA for the first time in the show's 37-year history, and the team behind Australia's number one TV drama has promised an 'ambitions, high-stakes' storyline to mark the occasion. The program will swap Summer Bay for WA in October, with filming to take place across several locations including Perth, the state's rugged coastline and expansive outback. Home and Away's series producer, Lucy Addario, said the team is 'beyond excited' to be filming out west. 'Its awe-inspiring beauty, diverse landscapes and sheer scale make it the perfect backdrop for this huge storyline,' Addario said. Pre-production is underway for the five special episodes, which will showcase WA to audiences in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and almost 50 other international markets. The trip west is in partnership with Tourism WA and the WA Government, which is keen to capitalise on the 250,000 UK viewers who tune into Home and Away every night. The UK is already WA's largest tourism market, with 117,000 visitors from there pouring about $240 million into the local economy in 2024. 'We are thrilled' 'From Summer Bay to WA, we are thrilled to welcome one of Australia's most iconic television shows to our state,' WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said. 'Home and Away has been a staple of Australian television for close to 40 years, and this special WA storyline presents a great opportunity to showcase the state to millions of viewers across the country and around the world. 'When our pristine coastline and diverse tourism experiences are broadcast to homes across the country and overseas next year, we encourage viewers to come and see these spectacular locations for themselves.' Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall said WA's beaches and coastal lifestyle 'are really appealing to the UK visitor'. 'Getting in with Home and Away is the ideal way to showcase that,' he told 7NEWS. The episodes are expected to air on Seven and 7plus in 2026.
West Australian
09-06-2025
- West Australian
Gija guide Rebecca Sampi wins Tourism Council WA award for individual excellence
For Gija woman Rebecca Sampi, her work guiding tourists through the awesome wonder of Purnululu National Park is more than just a job — it is an act of reconciliation. 'Being a tour guide is being someone at the forefront,' she said, 'You're the bridge, basically, between the non-Indigenous world and your world. 'You're the reconciliation. You're the link.' Her work sharing her people's cultural and historical connection to Purnululu National Park with hundreds of visitors each year has been recognised by Tourism Council WA with the individual excellence in Aboriginal tourism award. Ms Sampi said she was thrilled to receive the award, especially after being a finalist in the Tourism Council WA awards last year but missing out on the top accolade. 'I never expected it. It means a lot, especially for me and my family,' she said. 'This is a thing that no one has won in the East Kimberley.' As head guide for Kingfisher Tours, Ms Sampi takes about 140 tours through the Purnululu National Park each dry season, sharing her stories and songs about the land and how the ancestors created the local topography, flora and fauna. She has also trained 30 young Aboriginal people to be tour guides, many of whom have gone on to work in tourism operations around the East Kimberley. 'We don't have one group of traditional owners for this area,' Ms Sampi said. 'We have three groups of people in and around Purnululu alone, which is Gija, Jaru, and the Malgnin people. they have roamed this country and shared the land among themselves, and now they're finding they have to share it with non-Indigenous people,' Ms Sampi said she loved sharing the culture and history of her lands with visitors as many tourists had limited knowledge about Aboriginal people. 'I tell them no matter how silly that question sounds, its fine with me, if I can, I'll answer it or I'll try to seek guidance from our old people to try and answer the question for them,' she said. As she continues to train more Aboriginal tourist guides, Ms Sampi hopes not only to provide more visitors to Purnululu National Park with a culturally immersive experience but to help establish a source of continual employment for local people. 'We are hoping that we will have more guides on the ground to be able to hop on the buses and just give the cultural immersive tour to all guests in the park, and hopefully we make an impact on their lives as much as our upcoming generation,' she said.
West Australian
15-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Albany Visitor Centre's Kirstie Cooper and Hilton Garden Inn Albany's Steve Millhouse finalists for awards
Two dedicated Albany professionals have been nominated as finalists for prestigious State awards recognising excellence in the tourism industry. Kirstie Cooper from the Albany Visitor Centre has been named a finalist for the Sir David Brand young achiever medal, while the Hilton Garden Inn Albany's hotel manager Steve Millhouse is shortlisted for the individual excellence by a tourism professional award. Run by the Tourism Council WA, the 2025 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards for Individual Excellence sees 33 finalists in the running for five titles, that also include the FACET Golden Guide Award, Individual Excellence in Aboriginal Tourism and Individual Excellence in Customer Service. Ms Cooper said she was 'humbled' to be recognised for the award, which celebrates people under the age of 30 making an impact in the tourism industry. The 25-year-old's tourism journey began when she was 16 and joined the visitor centre on a work placement. A decade later, she serves as senior customer service officer and cruise co-ordinator, detailing the region's gems to visiting tourists, booking tours, accommodation and tickets, managing the social media and acting as the point person for cruise ship passengers visiting the town. 'The passion I have for Albany is pretty strong,' she said. 'I've been here since I was 16, and I love Albany so much which is why I picked the visitor centre. 'I think the passion I have for promoting this place is something that's just crazy. 'Everyone always says to me, 'oh you just love Albany so much, you're one person that I've seen that absolutely loves their job'. 'But yeah I hope the little things that I do just help shape tourism in the Great Southern and put Albany on the map.' Ms Cooper will compete with six other young achievers for the top gong, while Mr Millhouse will run against another six for his title. The winners will be announced on May 28 at the 2025 Perth Airport WA Tourism Conference hosted at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.
