Pink Lake Buggy Tour operator expects Port Gregory tourism to boom with Chinese tourist market

A family-run buggy tour company providing close-up views along Port Gregory’s iconic pink lake are expecting to see increased international tourism in the region this year.

Taking a four-month break over the hot summer months, Pink Lake Buggy Tours started up their service again in April and have experienced a high uptake of international customer bookings, especially from Chinese tourists.

Fly Gero owner Ryan Rogers, providing scenic flights over the pink lake, agreed he’d noticed a spike in international travel, particularly in the Asian market, but wasn’t noticing an increase in national bookings.

“A lot of our background in pink lake flights is Chinese, Japanese and Hong Kong travellers, Hong Kong is really picking up,” he said.

The buggy tour takes a journey along the beach and onto the sand dunes for elevated views of the lake, then down to the lake where, depending on the time of year, customers can ride over the dried lake or admire the water’s hot pink colour.

Pink Lake Buggy Tours owner Samantha Hay said she was expecting tourism from China to increase, and bookings were already “going nuts”.

Ms Hay said the business ran three tours per work day and believed people were booking to seek something different and the buggy tour offered a hands on, interactive option.

“It’s just come in leaps and bounds this year. We’re really getting lots of exposure through the Kalbarri Visitors Centre and online through socials as well,” she said.

“Tourism wise — and I can’t speak to everyone in the Mid West — but definitely for us we’re going back to pre COVID seasons where we’re really busy on Easter, Christmas and school holidays.”

Ms Hay said the business was mindful of the fragile environment at Port Gregory, using existing tracks where they can and meeting with Traditional Owners once a year.

Kalbarri Visitors Centre said they hoped Australia’s Eurovision filmed on the pink lake and Kalbarri’s surrounds would highlight the magnificent tourism in the Mid West town.

“We would welcome increased visitation to the region via the fabulous pink lake and would like everyone to know that pink lake is only the beginning of the highlights in Kalbarri and surrounds.