Mandurah’s awareness as a ‘top of mind’ holiday destination has doubled amongst West Australians since 2022.
Independent research by Painted Dog Research, commissioned by Visit Mandurah, shows the same trending data as the latest Tourism Research Australia Visitor Statistics and Tourism WA Insights and Planning for the Peel Region: visitation to Mandurah is on the rise.
For the first time, visitation to Mandurah is higher than pre-pandemic levels with domestic day trips up by 31% to 2.1 million in 2023. Similarly, overnight domestic visitors increased by almost 10% to 419,000 in 2023.
Importantly, perceptions of Mandurah have improved significantly since 2022 with respondents stating that Mandurah has plenty to do, has great food and drink offerings, has a range of appealing events and is generally an exciting destination.
The Painted Dog Research shows that three quarters of past WA visitors are likely to return to Mandurah for another visit, suggesting that their recent experiences in Mandurah have been very positive.
Those who visited Mandurah in the last 12 months and those considering visiting in the next 12 months find Mandurah significantly more appealing (63% and 70% respectively), and over two thirds of respondents find Mandurah appealing as a daytrip destination.
Anita Kane, General Manager at Visit Mandurah, said that perceptions have shifted since the local tourism organisation was established by the City of Mandurah.
“The results are very encouraging and rewarding, it shows that the efforts being made by our team, the City and the local tourism and hospitality businesses are effective,” Ms Kane said.
“This isn’t an overnight success story, Mandurah has improved infrastructure with new developments and more on the way, loads of new attractions and activities, fantastic events, new breweries and great cafes and restaurants, all of which when combined, make Mandurah more appealing than ever.
“The increase in visitor numbers and the improved positive sentiment towards Mandurah comes at a time when more West Australians are travelling overseas than before the pandemic, which makes these results even more satisfying.”
Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 and Western Australia’s Top Tourism Town for the past two years, Mandurah is recognised as an exceptional destination. The visitor statistics show that 60% stated the Top Tourism Town award has positively influenced their perception of Mandurah and 52% said the award has made them more likely to visit Mandurah.
“Thomas Dambo’s Giants of Mandurah has played a significant part in driving vistation to Mandurah since its launch in November 2022, but it’s not the only factor to influence visitor numbers,” Ms Kane said.
“We know visitors love Mandurah’s natural attractions of beaches, dolphins, the estuary and national parks, but also the urban vibrancy, the family-friendly options, range of things to see and do and places to go,” she said.
“Increasing holiday makers, the leisure travellers, has been a key goal, and we’re achieving that.”
Situated less than an hour from Perth, Mandurah is Western Australia’s largest regional city with a population expected to swell to 120,000 in the next dozen years.
Originally known as Mandjoogoordap, the word Mandurah means ‘meeting place of the heart’.
