Tourism Western Australia has taken over the Piccadilly Lights in London with the destination’s iconic floating whale shark for the UK launch of their new global tourism brand ‘Walking On A Dream’.

Alongside the 3D billboard, Tourism Western Australia is also giving away two flights to dreamlike and otherwordly Western Australia, courtesy of Emirates, with a boarding pass promotion taking place across London on 30 January 2023.

Members of the public will have the chance to win a dream boarding pass at Piccadilly Circus, Canary Wharf and Holland Park, one of which will be the winning ticket to WA.

The ‘Walking On A Dream’ brand invites travellers to visit Western Australia to explore the attributes that make Western Australia a wondrous, dreamlike place – including its jaw-dropping landscapes and one-of-a-kind experiences that inspire a sense of unparalleled freedom.

Tourism Western Australia Managing Director Carolyn Turnbull said: “The UK is an important visitor market for Western Australia and the Piccadilly Lights placement elevates the state as a world-class destination in a crowded travel marketplace.”

“This high-impact 3D animation presents a dreamlike, virtual experience of Western Australia on one of the most iconic billboards in the world, giving UK audiences a taste of the wondrous and otherworldly experiences and wildlife that Western Australia has to offer.”

The iconic gentle whale shark highlights one of the many incredible species of wildlife that can be seen in Western Australia.

With a recent survey revealing that whale sharks were the number one Western Australia sea creature that Brits dreamt of swimming with – and with WA’s Ningaloo Reef’s 95% reliability rate to have an experience with a whale shark between March and July – it’s no wonder that British holidaymakers continue to tick Western Australia off their bucket list.

Ms Turnbull added: “The UK has always been one of Western Australia’s largest international markets. Prior to the pandemic, the UK travel market was the state’s largest by number of visitors. In 2022, we saw visitors from the UK continue to return, with three consecutive months of growth. It is currently Western Australia’s largest market for international visitors and in November 2022, UK visitor numbers to Western Australia were hitting 95% of pre-pandemic levels.”

The high-impact UK advertising initiative was supported by the Western Australian Government, as part of the $15 million (£8.6 million approx.) launch of Walking On A Dream, which was funded through the Western Australia Government’s $195 million (£112 million approx.) Reconnect Western Australia package.