Eurovision Entry Voyager Linked To WA Tourism Boost
The Western Australian government is expecting the choice of Perth synth-metal Voyager as Australia’s Eurovision 2023 entry to be a boost in its international tourism.
The band’s new single “Promise” is getting regular spins on the May 9 to 13 Eurovision’s YouTube channel to its 5 million subscribers.
It is also incorporated into Tourism WA’s current $15 million “Walking On A Dream” global campaign.
“Promise” and its video, directed by Joseph Varley, was specifically designed visually to translate to the large Eurovision stage.
It also features the band performing at stunning landscapes as the bright pink Hutt Lagoon and Kalbarri National Park including Natures Window.
Tourism WA chipped in towards the making of the video, and the WA government’s Contemporary Music Fund is getting Voyager to the contest in Liverpool and to Amsterdam to play an Eurovision show before hand.
“Western Australia is on a rock and roll around the world,” tourism minister Roger Cook said last week when the Eurovision decision was announced.
“Every week we are sending a new message around the globe that it’s all happening in WA.”
Voyager, who met at college and toured abroad behind seven albums on a Dutch label, have been trying to make it to Eurovision since Australia was allowed to enter in 2015.
They were shortlisted in 2020 and placed at No. 2 last year with a strong public vote and losing by three votes to Sheldon Riley.
Singer Daniel Estrin, a self-described “big Eurovision fan, the greatest show on earth”, said of “Promise”, “It is very Voyager, but also very Eurovision.”
Tourism WA is not the only body using music to boost visitor numbers and jobs.
The South Australian Tourism Commission expects entertainment and sports events to pump $400 million into the state in 2023, with tourism now back to 90 per cent of pre-COVID’s $8.1 billion high.
To that end, the state government continues to contribute funding to WOMADelaide, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Vintage Vibes and Illuminate, and picked up the six figure fee for Robbie Williams to headline the supercar VALO Adelaide 500 in November.
“We are showcasing Adelaide to a global audience,” SATC chief Hitaf Rasheed said.
Festivals also have the eye of governments in the NT, NSW and Queensland.
Last month (January), figures from the Northern Territory Major Events Company showed eight of its events during the 2020-21 financial year raised an economic stimulus of $109.8 million, of which $64.9 million was new money.
The NT government’s new tourism campaign stressing on unique experiences covered a number of music events—the Darwin Festival and BASSINTHEGRASS concert in Darwin and Alice Springs’ drag and cabaret fabALICE, the First Nations Parrtjima – A Festival in Light and Desert Song.
“Festivals play such an important role in helping the Territory thrive as a must-do visitor destination,” agreed the Major Events Company head of events and operations Coryn Huddy.
A number of music destinations were among the 38 events the NSW government supported in December, January and February for a combined draw of 230,000 visitors and $260 million for the visitor economy.
They included ELEVATE Sydney, Parkes Elvis Festival and Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The Queensland government is investing $20 million in Queensland Music Trails, delivered by QMF (Queensland Music Festival agency) and promoted by Tourism and Events Queensland.
“Whether it’s opera in the Outback or indie favourites Lime Cordiale playing The Long Sunset at Canungra, these are first-class destination music events to encourage visitors to explore more of Queensland’s great lifestyle and awe-inspiring tourism experiences,” noted minister for tourism Stirling Hinchliffe.